A wonderful 1960s Chad Valley Noddy Glove Puppet / Vintage Childrens Toy / Retro Childrens Toy / Childrens Television / Enid Blyton / Big Ears / Toyland / Mr Plod / Bumpy Dog
This early Noddy glove puppet is about 9 inches tall. An average adult hand can fit inside. Noddy is in his original red cotton dress with a blue hat. The rubber head is of the 1960’s era.
Noddy was made in Birmingham England by Chad Valley Company Ltd.
Noddy does have signs of wear to the paint on the rubber and his dress and hands are a little soiled.
The Chad Valley cloth label is sewn into the back seam as seen in the picture. This has been a played with toy.
It would be a super addition to any collection, excellent display, practical piece or authentic period prop.
Thanks for looking and please cast a glance at my other vintage and historical items at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FillyGumbo?section_id=all
NODDY
Noddy is a fictional character created by English children's author Enid Blyton, originally published between 1949 and 1963. Television shows based on the character have run on British television since 1955 and continue to appear to this day.
Noddy is a little wooden boy who lives in his own little House-for-One in Toyland. The first book explains Noddy's origins. He was made by a woodcarver in a toy store but ran away after the man began to make a wooden lion, which scared Noddy. As he wanders through the woods, with no clothes, money or home, he meets Big Ears, a friendly brownie. Big Ears decides that Noddy is a toy and takes him to live in Toyland. He generously provides Noddy with a set of clothing and a house. While Noddy is quite happy to be a toy, the citizens of Toyland are not sure that he actually is one. They put Noddy on trial and examine whether he is a toy or an ornament. Eventually, Noddy is declared a toy, but still has to convince the court that he is a good toy. The judge accepts that Noddy is good after a doll tells the court that he saved her little girl from a lion, and he is allowed to stay in Toyland. Noddy gets his car in the second book. It is given to him after he helps solve a local mystery.
As a self-employed taxi driver, Noddy loves driving his friends around Toytown in his little red and yellow taxi. The other toys can hear him coming by the distinctive "Parp, Parp" sound of his taxi's horn and the jingle of the bell on his blue hat. Often he uses his car to visit all of the places in Toytown. When his taxi business is not doing so well, or when he needs help, Noddy turns to Big Ears. Big Ears will often lend him what he needs. On occasion, Noddy will allow people to make his head nod, in exchange for small items, like his morning milk.
Noddy's constant companion and household pet is the exuberant "Bumpy Dog". Bumpy accompanies Noddy on almost all his adventures.
Noddy is kind and honest, but he often gets in trouble, either through his own misunderstandings, or because someone (usually the naughty goblins Sly and Gobbo) has played a trick on him. He is very childlike in his understanding of the world and often becomes confused as a result. For example, in the first Noddy book, Noddy and Big Ears are building Noddy's house for one. Noddy suggests that they build the roof first, in case it rains. With no understanding of gravity or of the need for roof supports, this is perfectly logical to him. As the series continues, Noddy becomes wiser but without losing his charm and lovable naivety.
Noddy has many run-ins with PC Plod, the local policeman. Some are caused by Noddy's lack of understanding of how Toyland works. Other times it is because of a case of mistaken identity. Mr. Plod is generally long-suffering towards Noddy and Noddy likes Mr. Plod and frequently goes out of his way to help him. Mr. Plod often catches the mischief makers on his police bicycle, by blowing his whistle and shouting "Halt, in the name of Plod!!" before locking the culprits up in his jail.
Characters
Big-Ears, a wise, bearded brownie who lives in a toadstool house outside of Toytown.
Mr Plod (called PC Plod in some versions), the Toytown policeman. He is a good friend of Noddy and thinks Toytown can't live without him.
Bumpy Dog, in the original books, lives with Tessie Bear, but accompanies Noddy on many adventures. Noddy first met the Bumpy Dog in Toytown because he was injured and Noddy used his scarf to help him. Noddy felt he was unable to have Bumpy Dog live with him, so Tessie Bear offered to keep him.