Christmas decoration - Wood - German Christmas pyramid - XL - 72 cm

This is a traditional vintage German Christmas pyramid (also known as Weihnachtspyramide or Christmas mill). This iconic Christmas ornament has its origins in the folk art of the German Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge).

How it works

The pyramid is entirely made of wood and consists of multiple levels with hand-carved or hand-painted Christmas and Bible figures. At the bottom there are candle holders. When the candles are lit, warm air rises. This rising heat causes the blades at the top to move, making the central shaft and the various tiers rotate gracefully.
This is a classic, vintage hand-made Christmas pyramid from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), produced in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic).
Although specific manufacturers from that region (such as Richard Glässer or Müller) have a similar construction, the distinctive features of this model indicate traditional, authentic production from the 1970s or 1980s:

Specific Features of the Model:

• The Blades (Wings): The blades of the propeller have a very recognizable, stamped dark floral motif (flower or star pattern) at the tips.
• The Levels: It is a model with 5 tiers (including the small top segment with the angelic trumpets).
• The Figures (The Nativity Scene):
• Top tiers: Small angels holding musical instruments (such as trumpets and horns).
• Middle tiers: Shepherds with their sheep.
• Bottom tiers: The Nativity scene with Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus in the manger, and the Three Wise Men accompanied by camels.
• The Candles Holders: Around the octagonal base there are 6 brass-colored candle holders specifically intended for traditional, narrow pyramid candles (not tealights).
Such pyramids often bear an original stamp or seal on the bottom, such as the well-known expertic logo (the quality mark for crafts from the DDR era) or the logo of the crafts cooperative (Verband Erzgebirgischer Kunsthandwerker).
The original box confirms exactly what we discussed above and provides even more unique details about the provenance of your Weihnachts-Pyramide:
• Exact dimensions: The box confirms in black and white the height: approx. 72 cm high and built with 5 levels (5-tier).
• The model number: The specific identification number of this vintage pyramid is Art.Nr. 699147.
• Provenance and age: The box shows the text "Echte Handarbeit" and the typical graphic design (font and photography) from the 1970s and 1980s. This type of box with the gold-colored corner flag was used at the time specifically for exporting certified folk art from the Ore Mountains (GDR) to Western Europe.
Such complete sets including the original packaging are nowadays highly sought after by collectors of traditional German Christmas decorations.