Black Forest Carvings

AI've had a fascination with Black Forest animals for years. My favorites were the leash holders I found in English country hunting estates, followed by any carving that was not normal....for example, the bears. Which by the way, was produced in prodigious numbers and that keeps the value down...in my opinion.

Most experts believe the Black Forest school of carving did not originate in the Bavarian Black Forest in Germany, but in the 1850's by the Trauffer's, a family of woodcarvers in Brienz Switzerland. Prior to WWI there were 1300 cottage industries producing these carvings.

Black Forest carvings were introduced at various world fairs, including the London Great Exhibition of 1851, the Chicago World Fair in 1893 and the Paris exhibition in 1900.

The Rooster, basket and barrel carving was found in England and is a Cigar and match holder. Other images can be found here.



Sweet walnut carving of a lead and bird ink and pen holder.


The pieces are typically carved from walnut and linden wood and they tend to centered on animals and plants, most notably bears, deer, rabbits, mountain goats, wolves and realistic tree branches, twigs and flowers and other natural motifs for the tourist industry.