DT reader AC has me stumped, but maybe you know anything about this hand puppet, which seems to have been made by Antonio Vitali. Based on the tag around its neck, it'd seem to be from Vitali's own postwar toy line, which he sold at the Swiss national crafts store, the Heimatwerk. Because doesn't the face seem too old school to be from his 1960s, post-Creative Playthings venture?
Like I said, I really don't know. Maybe someone whose Vitali catalogue isn't in storage might have a clue.
Image: Antonio Vitali hand puppet in point.line.plane.volume's sweet flickr stream [flickr]
According to another collector there had been some monkeys with painted faces that are shown in one of the Vitali books, but he had no specific info about this puppet.
Thanks so much for posting this. Love your blog!