Scope and arrangement
The collection, dated 1930s to 1980s (bulk dates 1970s), contains information about puppetry in the United States and abroad. Milton Halpert (1910-2000) created this collection as a result of his support for the art of puppetry. The collection holds correspondence, material from festivals, printed matter, photographs, ephemera and sketches.
The correspondence is mostly letters from puppeteers thanking Halpert for his support and information about puppetry. These letters also indicate that his wife Sylvia also enjoyed puppetry. Other subjects are about puppet festivals, the Puppeteers of America and other guilds.
Festivals material is mostly for the Puppeteers of America and other festivals held in the United States and abroad. This material is the official brochure, registration forms, newspaper clippings, and any other puppet information that the Halperts picked-up at the event. The festivals include the the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, the Pacific Southwest Regional Festival and UNIMA International Puppetry Association.
Halpert extensively collected all available information on puppetry including newspaper clippings, flyers, and guild subscriptions.
There are several black and white photographs and color photographs of puppets and puppeteers. Halpert was photographed with a group of puppeteers, dated 1961. The remaining material includes buttons, greeting cards with puppetry themes; membership cards; sketches of a logo; and floor plans.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by format and subject as follows: Correspondence, Festivals, Printed Matter, Ephemera, and Sketches