Christmas decoration - Wood
Starting bid
€ 1
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Expert
Selected by Elena Napoleone
Holds a bachelor's degree in history of art and architecture, with 12 years of experience in decorative arts.
Estimate € 110 - € 170
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Description from the seller
Christmas decoration - Wood - German Christmas pyramid - XL - 72 cm
Religious home décor
Good used condition, with minor signs of age and a few spots
This is a traditional vintage German Christmas pyramid (also known as a Weihnachtspyramide or Christmas carousel). This iconic Christmas ornament originated in the folk art of Germany’s Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge).
How it works
The pyramid is made entirely of wood and consists of several tiers with hand-carved or hand-painted Christmas and biblical figures. There are candle holders at the bottom. When the candles are lit, the warm air rises. This rising heat sets the blades at the top in motion, causing the central shaft and the various platforms to rotate gently.
This is a classic, vintage, handmade Christmas pyramid from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), produced in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic).
Although manufacturers from that region, such as Richard Glässer or Müller, made models with a similar construction, the distinctive features of this model point to traditional, authentic production in the 1970s or 1980s:
Specific features of the model:
The blades (vanes): The propeller blades have a very distinctive stamped dark floral motif (flower or star pattern) at the tips.
The tiers: This is a 5-tier model (including the small top section with the trumpet-playing angels).
The figures (the Christmas story):
Top tiers: Small angels holding musical instruments (such as horns or trumpets).
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 candle holders: Around the octagonal base are 6 brass-colored candle holders, specifically designed for traditional, slender pyramid candles (not tealights).
Pyramids like these often have an original stamp or seal on the underside, such as the well-known expertic logo (the quality mark for arts and crafts from the GDR era) or the logo of the craft cooperative (Verband Erzgebirgischer Kunsthandwerker).
The original box confirms exactly what we discussed earlier and provides even more unique details about the origins of your Weihnachts-Pyramide:
The exact dimensions: The box confirms in black and white that it is approx. 72 cm tall and has 5 tiers (5-stöckig).
The model number: The specific identification number for this vintage pyramid is Art.Nr. 699147.
The origin and age: The box displays the text “Echte Handarbeit” and the typical graphic design (font and photography) of 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 highly sought after today by collectors of traditional German Christmas decorations.
Please note: the pyramid is handmade, and I need a very sturdy, large box for packaging.
Christmas decoration - Wood - German Christmas pyramid - XL - 72 cm
Religious home décor
Good used condition, with minor signs of age and a few spots
This is a traditional vintage German Christmas pyramid (also known as a Weihnachtspyramide or Christmas carousel). This iconic Christmas ornament originated in the folk art of Germany’s Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge).
How it works
The pyramid is made entirely of wood and consists of several tiers with hand-carved or hand-painted Christmas and biblical figures. There are candle holders at the bottom. When the candles are lit, the warm air rises. This rising heat sets the blades at the top in motion, causing the central shaft and the various platforms to rotate gently.
This is a classic, vintage, handmade Christmas pyramid from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), produced in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic).
Although manufacturers from that region, such as Richard Glässer or Müller, made models with a similar construction, the distinctive features of this model point to traditional, authentic production in the 1970s or 1980s:
Specific features of the model:
The blades (vanes): The propeller blades have a very distinctive stamped dark floral motif (flower or star pattern) at the tips.
The tiers: This is a 5-tier model (including the small top section with the trumpet-playing angels).
The figures (the Christmas story):
Top tiers: Small angels holding musical instruments (such as horns or trumpets).
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 candle holders: Around the octagonal base are 6 brass-colored candle holders, specifically designed for traditional, slender pyramid candles (not tealights).
Pyramids like these often have an original stamp or seal on the underside, such as the well-known expertic logo (the quality mark for arts and crafts from the GDR era) or the logo of the craft cooperative (Verband Erzgebirgischer Kunsthandwerker).
The original box confirms exactly what we discussed earlier and provides even more unique details about the origins of your Weihnachts-Pyramide:
The exact dimensions: The box confirms in black and white that it is approx. 72 cm tall and has 5 tiers (5-stöckig).
The model number: The specific identification number for this vintage pyramid is Art.Nr. 699147.
The origin and age: The box displays the text “Echte Handarbeit” and the typical graphic design (font and photography) of 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 highly sought after today by collectors of traditional German Christmas decorations.
Please note: the pyramid is handmade, and I need a very sturdy, large box for packaging.
Details
Era
1900-2000
Weight
2 g
Material
Wood
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
72 cm
Width
30 cm
Depth
72 cm
Estimated period
1950-1960
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