Ore Mountain folk art
Encyclopedia
Ore Mountain folk art is a well-known form of highly artistic wood carving from East Germany. Typical creations include Christmas decorations and products such as wooden miners' figures (Bergmannsfigur), Christmas angels (Weihnachtsengel), Reifendrehen
figures of animals made by wood turning, Räuchermann
figures and Christmas pyramid
s (Flügelpyramiden), as well as Schwibbogen
candle arches, nutcracker
s, and music boxes. Even today these are made entirely by hand, primarily in small craft businesses.
The centre for the manufacture of Ore Mountain folk art lies in the region around the village of Seiffen, which is also known as the Toy Corner (Spielzeugwinkel). Here most of the manufacturers have joined Dregeno, the association of woodcarvers, sculptors, wood and toy makers. One of the largest collections of folk art is at the Ore Mountain Toy Museum in Seiffen
. In the neighbouring village of Neuhausen is the first nutcracker museum in Europe, which houses more than 5,000 examples, the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world.
The logo of the craftsmen is a miner on a rocking horse
.
Reifendrehen
Reifendrehen is a unique type of toy manufacture using wood turning techniques that was developed in the Ore Mountains in the vicinity of the town of Seiffen and continues there to the present day. The process produces small animals and other figures or even little wooden houses in outline, that...
figures of animals made by wood turning, Räuchermann
Räuchermann
thumb|Räuchermännchenthumb|150px|right|as hunter figurineThe Räuchermann , erzgebirgisch Raachermannel is an "incense smoker", the invention of toy makers in the Ore Mountains and used to burn down cone incense, known as Räucherkerzchen.The Räuchermann was first mentioned in 1830 and is nowadays a...
figures and Christmas pyramid
Christmas pyramid
A Christmas Pyramid is a Christmas decoration that has its roots in the Erzgebirge of Germany but has become popular throughout the country. It is suggested that the Christmas pyramid is a predecessor of the Christmas tree; These pyramids themselves are not limited to Christmas: in the Erzgebirge...
s (Flügelpyramiden), as well as Schwibbogen
Schwibbogen
A Schwibbogen is a decorative candle-holder from the Ore Mountains region of Saxony, Germany.The first metal Schwibbogen was made in 1740 in Johanngeorgenstadt. The early candle arches always consisted of black ore. They were made out of one single forged piece and could be painted. The number of...
candle arches, nutcracker
Nutcracker
A nutcracker is a mechanical device for cracking nuts. Usually they work on the principle of moments as described in Archimedes' analysis of the lever...
s, and music boxes. Even today these are made entirely by hand, primarily in small craft businesses.
The centre for the manufacture of Ore Mountain folk art lies in the region around the village of Seiffen, which is also known as the Toy Corner (Spielzeugwinkel). Here most of the manufacturers have joined Dregeno, the association of woodcarvers, sculptors, wood and toy makers. One of the largest collections of folk art is at the Ore Mountain Toy Museum in Seiffen
Ore Mountain Toy Museum, Seiffen
The Ore Mountain Toy Museum in Seiffen is an internationally known museum of Ore Mountain toys and Ore Mountain folk art. It was opened in 1953 in Seiffen...
. In the neighbouring village of Neuhausen is the first nutcracker museum in Europe, which houses more than 5,000 examples, the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world.
The logo of the craftsmen is a miner on a rocking horse
Rocking horse
A rocking horse is a child's toy, usually shaped like a horse and mounted on rockers similar to a rocking chair.Predecessors of the rocking horse may be seen in the rocking cradle, the tilting seats used during the Middle Ages for jousting practice as well as the wheeled hobby horse...
.
Sources
- Manfred Bachmann: Holzspielzeug aus dem Erzgebirge, Verlag der Kunst, Dresden 1984
- Werner Pflugbeil: Zur geschichtlichen Entwicklung der bergmännischen Holzschnitzerei im Erzgebirge. In: Sächsische Heimatblätter Heft 1/1972, p. 5-11