We’ve heard a lot about the East German region once known as Saxony through the SAS auction of early wooden toys and the many Erzgebirge wooden trees Janet Gent has been showing on the Doll Club Facebook page. Most of you know the history but I thought it doesn’t hurt to read again and perhaps introduce the treasures and magic of Seiffen the main village of Erzgebirge to new members.

The Erzgebirge mountains border the Czech Republic and in the 14thc silver and tin were discovered creating a booming mining area lasting up until the middle of the 17thc when the ores ran out leaving the miners with no employment. Ever industrious, the men turned to the vast forests which had provided wood for the mines and their homes so they began to carve wooden figures in regional dress, all types of toys and as early as 1690 their wooden toys were found at the Leipzig fair and by the mid 18th century Seiffen was well known as a toy centre. Coinciding with the growth of carving by the men was the introduction of pillow lace made by the women and young girls no doubt their contribution to the families’ meagre income. Pillow lace required 100 wooden bobbins per worker these were supplied by the wood carving husbands who made them on their wooden lathes. The carvers stopped laborious hand carving and developed ,or ‘invented’ perhaps is a better word, the hoop ring turning method used to make Erzgebirge toys. The same method is used today. The turned profiled rings made by the lathe could be sliced into shapes to become animals, people, etc. You can watch this technique today as you walk the streets of Seiffen as you may be lucky enough to see a workshop behind the sales room.

All manner of objects were made such as the tiny intricate figures, animals, characters, trees, carts, etc., etc. and still made today. Erzgebirge toy makers introduced the tiny figures in matchboxes which I love. My favourite tree has branches that are sliced and curled. They are made in all sizes, expensive, but really miniature works of art. Probably for the collector of today the most seen are the smoking figures in two pieces when separated an incense is placed inside lit and out comes smoke from the mouth or pipe of the figure. What is Christmas without a pyramid first introduced in 1902 made with many tiers where figures usually of the wise men animals and nativity scene sit on each tier. Candle holders hold the candles that when lit create a windmill effect on the wooden sails and the tiers revolve. We can’t leave out the Nutcracker. There is a cottage industry at the top of the street that specializes only in Nutcrackers in all sizes and figures. I got one of the Queen with her handbag.The master craftsmen work in their cottages and many sell from the front rooms. In my opinion the Werner family are the best of the modern makers. Katharina introduced us to them. There are three brothers working today by now the 6th generation of craftsmen. One makes proper wooden play toys for children, the oldest brother very fine figures Barbara Dugan and Sonja have bought and Christian Werner makes Noah’s arks, pyramids and now a circus. Barbara, Sonja and I were taken into his workshop behind the store to see how he worked as Katharina and he are great friends. You may see some of his work at Margaret Hobbs open day. He gave me some cast-offs of the wood hoops and bits that one day I can bring to a meeting.

Erzgebirge was in East Germany and of course in Soviet times little was allowed to be made, but the art had not died and with unification it sprang to life again. Do beware there are poor Chinese copies of most of the Christmas objects but you can identify immediately a real Erzgebirge. Seiffin has a very fine museum, lovely small hotels, good restaurants and many, many shops. One famous one specializes in the charming small angels. At the very top of the village is an old hotel looking out over the Ore Mountains. Barbara and I rose early one morning and went for a hike and came upon an enchanting small village seemingly deserted so we walked around going into the houses all empty peering through windows only to find out later it is an outdoor museum of old Erzgebirge buildings and when open you PAY to go in and see how the they lived, with people dressed in costume. Very embarrassing, but we did save money!

It comes alive at Christmas with a parade of Ore men dressed as miners to start the Christmas season. The church is very famous Luthern and features in scenes of the village. I have returned again and again with the Doll Club, twice I think, and then when the four ‘dollateers’ Barbara, Sonja ,Suzy and Katharina travelled the byways of Germany we usually ended up there. It is a magical place for collectors.
Suzy