Vintage Wayang Golek Puppets x3 Indonesian Sundanese Rod Puppet Bandung Java

Item Specifics

• Type: Wayang Golek (three-dimensional wooden rod puppets)
• Origin: Sundanese culture, West Java, Indonesia
• Quantity: 3 (sold together as a set)
• Material: Hand-carved wood, batik cotton costumes, hand beadwork & gold thread
• Height: Approx. 70 cm standing
• Combined weight: 1.2 kg
• Age: Vintage — acquired Bandung, 1980s; already vintage at purchase
• Condition: Used / vintage condition (genuine performance & display wear)

Description

Set of Three Vintage Indonesian Wayang Golek Rod Puppets — Sundanese, West Java

A genuine matched set of three hand-carved and hand-painted wayang golek rod puppets from the Sundanese tradition of West Java, Indonesia. Wayang golek are three-dimensional wooden puppets operated from below by a central rod running through the body to the head, with thinner rods controlling the articulated arms. A puppeteer (dalang) voices and manipulates all characters in performances drawn from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, accompanied by a gamelan orchestra.

Provenance: I purchased these personally from a second-hand market in Bandung, West Java (the heartland of the wayang golek craft) in the 1980s, where they were already vintage at the time. They show authentic age and use.

The set comprises:

• Two refined (halus) noble characters — pink-toned faces with elegant features and tall, ornately carved and gilded crowns, representing kings, princes or aristocratic heroes.
• One coarse (gagah) character — a pale/green face with bulging red eyes and a bold nose, the dramatic foil typically depicting a demon, ogre or rougher-tempered figure.

The headdresses feature carved and polychrome-painted winged mythological motifs (garuda/makara style) typical of Javanese royal iconography. Costumes are genuine batik cotton with hand-stitched beadwork, sequins and gold-thread trim.

Construction details that mark these as authentic: removable carved heads on the central rod, jointed wooden arms with painted cuffs, and hand-embroidered costume detailing — all hallmarks of traditional, performance-grade puppets rather than mass-produced reproductions.

Specifications:

• Approx. 70 cm tall standing
• Combined weight 1.2 kg
• Sold together as a set of three

Please view all photos and feel free to ask any questions before purchasing.

Feel free to send me a message and submit an offer. You're welcome to do so.

Customs & Import Duties For international orders, any customs fees, import taxes, or duties are the buyer's responsibility. Orders shipped to the United States have applicable duties and taxes calculated and included at checkout — no additional charges on delivery. This applies to USA orders only. Buyers in all other countries are responsible for any local customs charges. If unsure, we recommend checking with your local customs office before purchasing.

Packaging All fragile items are carefully packed for safe delivery using recycled materials where possible.

Before You Buy Please review all photos carefully as they form part of the item description. Colours may vary slightly due to screen settings — we do our best to represent items accurately but an exact colour match cannot be guaranteed.