Vintage Czech? Marionette Puppet Carved Wood Wooden Crossbow Man signed MD 24"

Description

This listing is for the carved and painted wood marionette with a miniature crossbow that you see in the photos. I purchased it at an estate sale in Oregon where I was not told its history. It is signed “MD” on the bottom of one of the feet. Judging by the sale where I purchased it and some small signs of age on the metal parts and its general appearance, I would guess that it is possibly old enough to be considered vintage. I do not know where it was made. Some research tells me that it is probably from the Czech Republic. The man looks German or Swiss to me so I have wondered if it is a Black Forest carving or not. I leave it to buyer to decide how old it is and who carved it and where it was made.
The man measures close to 24 ¼ inches tall and weighs close to 5 pounds 2 ounces. The crossbow measures close to 9 ¾  inches long. The crossbow is not made to actually fire arrows.
The condition is much like you see it in the photos. The strings are very tangled. I tried without success to untangle them but soon gave up because I have little patience for such things. It might be possible to untie the knots at the ends and restring it. The strings look good. Close-ups show how the end of the little finger on the right hand is broken off and missing. Another closeup shows how part of the index finger on the left hand has been apparently broken and neatly glued back into place. I wonder if the paint is evenly faded but think that probably is not faded. There is a little dusty soil. The cross bar for manipulating the strings  and the crossbow are fine and as shown. The metal eye screws and hook are a little oxidized. The lines on the back of the head are carved and not cracks. Otherwise, the marionette is fine and as shown.
I guarantee this marionette to be as described and represented by the 36 photos after the general description. The photos are part of the description. Please look at all of them.
Please know that the lighting in my photos is uneven and that there might be shadows or reflections. The colors on my monitor look close to but not exactly like the actual colors. Different monitors may show different colors. I often say that an item measures or weighs “close to” because in my opinion no measurements are exact and some things are difficult to measure.
I like to leave feedback after I know that the item has arrived and that the buyer is satisfied.
I reserve the right to cancel any bids without explanation.
Please email me with any questions or suggestions. I do not ship on weekends. I might not be available to answer email on weekends.
32 photos should load with this listing.