Finally, My Own "Marshall" – By Steve Hurst

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Webmaster

Like everyone else who reads this blog or goes to the Ventriloquist Central website, I would love to own a “Marshall” (of course referring to a Frank Marshall ventriloquist figure).

Dan sends me pictures and videos of these great figures and I post them on the website… all the time drooling and wishing I owned one for myself.

Helen, Dan’s wife and I have talked in the past and jokingly she would say if Dan ever made her mad, she would ship them to me. I would tell her that I didn’t care which one, just send me a “Marshall”.

A few years back after one of their vacations to Vegas, Helen said she had something for me. When I received the package in the mail, I immediately opened it up and low and behold, I finally have my own “Marshall”.

 

marshall

 

Gotta love Helen’s sense of humor.

 

If you would like to see some REAL Frank Marshall figures, click here.

 

Steve Hurst
Webmaster
www.stevehurstwebsite.com

 

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Frank Marshall Figure (Dummy), Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | 2 Comments

Ventriloquist Central Tee Shirts Still Available

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Webmaster

t-shirt01

I received a few emails this week asking if the Ventriloquist Central Tee Shirts are still available and the answer is “YES”!!!

However, they are selling pretty good and some have asked it I will be bringing any to the ConVENTion. At this point, I have no plans to order any more and at the rate they are selling, I would not count on it.

So, if you’re sitting on the fence, my suggestion is to get your tee shirts now or there may not be any left. You know the old saying, “you snooze you lose”.

 

Click here for more information about the VentriloquistCentral.com tee shirts

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Marketplace | Leave a comment

Wigging a Ventriloquist Figure

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Webmaster

Wigging a ventriloquist figure can be a challenging task. The first thing you must try and do is find a wig that is small. Most wigs that you can purchase in the stores are for adult heads. Ventriloquist figures use a small child’s size wig. If you have a wig shop near you many times they will carry wigs for children that have cancer. These wigs work rather well but depending on what they are made from they can be expensive.

You first lay a piece of clear plastic on the figures head and mark with magic marker the exact line for where the from hair will sit then go around the ears and then around the back of the head. This will form a plastic template of the figures hairline. Now you place that inside the wig and start to cut. I always cut a bit over the line because you are going to have hair loss due to unraveling of the wig.

Once you have cut away the excess of the wig you can place it on the figures head and you will find it fits rather nicely at this point. Now depending on what your figure is made from you can decide how to attach the wig. I like to use carpet tacks in the wooden heads but in resign heads I will use staples and hot glue. Hot glue is a must for the front hairline to really keep it in place and it works very quick so make sure you have the wig placed in the exact spot. Gluing the side burns also eliminates them from not lying flat to the head.

Once you have the wig on the head then you can brush it to where you like, use thinning shears to eliminate some bulk and use very sharp scissors to trim. I prefer scissors with a very short blade for the trimming.

Paula Young wigs sells a model named Abbey which comes in a mini petite size and I have used this wig many times but it still requires quite a bit of cutting to make work but after a few times you will get the hang of it.

Remember this is not rocket science.

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Dummy Collecting, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figures | 3 Comments

The Face of Ventriloquism

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Webmaster

Ok the title got your attention but what I was really thinking about are the faces of the ventriloquist figures in the Ventriloquist Central Collection.

I must admit that even though all the faces are different there is a commonality which spans a vast majority of the figures and that is that the look is kind of that boyish, impish, cheeky look.

Now that does not mean they are all cheeky boy figures but just that from the early 1900’s through until I would say (my opinion) the 1980’s most of the figure makers did this style face and it was the most popular. It was done by Mack, Marshall, Pinxy, Spencer and Coats.

It does seem that once we get to the 1980’s and beyond there is a much more varied look in the faces you see in the vent figures.

I have not purchased many figures from the later part of the twentieth century because of my “wood” fetish but lots more varied faces done in the cast figures and the custom built figures.

Just look at some of the faces done by Bill Nelson or Dan Payes. These are so different than what you could purchase as a ventriloquist fifty years ago.

I guess I am going to have to start adding some of these more unusual faces to the collection.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Dummy Collecting, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figure (Dummy) Makers, Ventriloquist Figure Building, Ventriloquist Figures | 1 Comment

Provenance and Ventriloquist Figure Collecting

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Webmaster

Most people out there have no clue what provenance is nor do they care. Provenance is the complete lineage of an item. Who first purchased it and the hands that it has gone through to the present. This is another fundamental piece of a true collector and it especially applies to ventriloquist figures.

As a collector of vent figures I want to know who has owned the figure so that I can regurgitate the information to anyone that may ask. I always list as much information as possible about a figure when I list it in the Ventriloquist Central Collection page. To me it is one of the most important things other than originality of the figure.

If you are a performer, then who cares who owned it. You wrap your hand around the head stick, go out on stage and the figure talks and makes people laugh and the world smiles. Makes absolutely no difference if you were the first owner of the figure or the third or seventh.

I recently purchased a figure on a public sale that said it belonged to a famous person. After I purchased it I asked the seller for the provenance to prove the ownership. They said this was not something they do. I said then how can I, a collector, list him on Ventriloquist Central Collection as being previously owned by this famous person if I have no proof.

They understood and then sent me the info from where they purchased the figure. I was able to then confirm the originality as being true. I am sure they didn’t want me to see where they purchased the figure but now I am satisfied. I will be showing this figure to everyone in the not too distant future.

So when you decide to collect, and it makes no difference what the item is you collect, always try to get the provenance. It just adds to the items value.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Copyright 2010 by Dan Willinger

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Dummy Collecting, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figures | 1 Comment