vent figure
n.— «Klein, who lives in Nanticoke, is a trained ventriloquist. She and her puppets, or “vent figures” as they are called in the trade, perform for kids and adults throughout the area.» —“A woman’s love of ventriloquism” by Kristen Gaydos Citizens’ Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) Sept. 1, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of...