Erzgebirge Flower Children From Germany

A trio of flower children from the Erzgebirge

What could me more charming that the combination of children and flowers in spring?

From the Erzgebirge come delightful figurines of children holding single flower stems. The Erzgebirge is a tiny region of eastern Germany, bordering on Czechoslovakia. It is mountainous and for a time ore deposits supported the region. As the mining declined, cottage industries developed to replace it. Among the most famous are the folk art style wooden toys and religious figures, nutcrackers, and figurines the folk art style wooden nutcrackers, toys, and these captivating little figures, the so called blumenkinder. These are the type of old fashioned toys one sees in illustrated picture books of “The Night Before Christmas.”


Great attention is given to the hand painted details of Erzgebirge wares.

These wonderful little figures are of a naïve simplicity. They are made of wood and finished with fresh, high gloss enamels. The facial features are carefully painted in minute detail. As children became enamored with American style toys of plastic, and in the last decade, electronic games, these very simple toys have become increasingly out of fashion. For many adults however, Erzgebirge figures and toys are collected as reminders of simpler times. The figurines are somewhat expensive, and not easy to find. There are numerous shops in German towns and cities that have many visitors from abroad. They can also be found in German specialty shops and markets during Advent.



Snowdrop flower child from the Erzgebirge

Most people are likely more familiar with the products of the Erzgebirge in the form of the soldier doll nutcrackers seen in the Tchaikovsky ballet, and in illustrated children’s books. Both the flower children and the nutcrackers are now being very poorly reproduced in China, and care should be taken so that one buys originals. While new figurines are expensive, Erzgebirge can be bought less expensively from reputable sellers on eBay.

They make wonderful gifts for gardeners, horticulturalists, or those who love flowers, especially if the figure selected holds a favourite flower or one of significance to the recipient. They are little bouquets that never wilt, and will remain long after a special occasion. In Germany, they are favourite gifts for this reason, and over the years I have been delighted whenever I received one on my birthday or at Christmas.

Miniature Erzgebirge angel musicians are very popular at Christmas.



The Erzgebirge flower children make a wonderful collectible. They hold their value if you ever decide to sell them. They take up very little space. A collection is easily liquidated or amended. They bring a touch of the garden indoors, and as our cities become more and more populated, they are a reminder of the simple beauty of small flowers, and the importance of preserving it for the younger generation today and of tomorrow.

This article is dedicated to the memory of Uta Wichmann (1935-2009), who first introduced me to these delightful figures, and treasured her collection of "blumenkinder" that over the decades were given with love by her husband, family and friends.

© 2010 Square With Flair™

Inspired by Tim Burton’s Marvellous Magical Mushrooms

Official Movie Poster for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

Inspired by Tim Burton’s Marvellous Magical Mushrooms
Tripping through the Settings of his"Alice in Wonderland"

Viewing the ads and the trailer for Tim Burton's new Alice In Wonderland, I marveled at the gigantic mushrooms that were evident in many of the publicity shots. I recall as a teenager in the

1970s how mushroom motifs were so popular in design. They could be seen on shirts, jewelry, kitchen accessories, and such things. I’ve noted that the motif seems to be coming back, likely due to a certain nostalgia for the 70s, similar to the shades of avocado green and harvest gold that also appear to be making a revival.

But apart from the swinging pendulum of fashion, the mushroom speaks to our longing to be close to nature. Floral motifs are a constant in every country and historic period; we are drawn to their beauty. But mushrooms are more discreet and don’t always attract with brilliant colour. Living in a dense urban metropolis, I’ve always been enchanted by these emblems of the wild where there is no traffic, pollution, crowds, or noise. Years ago I began collecting small ceramic

mushrooms at flea markets. I later learned more about what I was collecting, and read the inscriptions on the bottom. They were made my the Lorenzen Studios in Nova Scotia. They are accurate, correct models of actual species of wild Canadian mushrooms. I am always intrigued by their esoteric Latin names. I recently learned that these are much sought after and that Dalhousie University has an extensive collection of these beautiful pieces. The largest collection is at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural history which has 400 different models of the Lorenzen mushrooms. Lorenzen pieces are also at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, and the University of Victoria.

Vintage 1960s Lorenzen ceramic mushrooms

Lorenzen ceramic mushrooms

http://biotype.biology.dal.ca/museum/CeramMushHist/cerMushNoFrame.html

If you are fascinated by the mysterious mushroom, one might find others in the flea market:

Vintage Erzgebirge wooden mushrooms

A vintage silk scarf with mushroom motifs

Detail from a pair of 1970s embroidered Levi jeans

Of course, the motif doesn’t have to be hippy with funny funghi. Fine 18th century botanical paintings and engravings are brought to mind in these modern reproductions of the Flora Danica porcelain service by Royal Copenhagen, a service that was intended as a gift to Catherine the Great of Russia:

Next time mushrooms sprout on your lawn, take one and examine it very closely, and imagine you have become very tiny like Alice, and have your own Burtonesque view of the marvelous mushroom.

Vintage circa 1960s ceramic mushrooms, Lorenzen. Frog figurine, Nymphenburg Porcelain.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Mushroom/English/Models/models.html

Flora Danica fungi plate, Royal Copenhagen, http://www.royalcopenhagen.com/Dinnerware/Flora-Danica-Fungi.aspx

© 2010 Square With Flair™