Erzgebirge Craftsmanship

During their daily work the miners were constantly confronted with wood and developed special talents to shape the wood. After the end of their workday the miners carved figures. From these roots in the course of time today's variety of Christmas pyramids, nutcrackers, candle Arches and incense smokers was developed.

Carving

The workpiece is formed by cutting off small parts from the wood with sharp tools. As tools serve carving knifes, irons and other.

Woodturning

Woodturning goes back to the 5th Century b.c. and was already used by Egyptians. The workpiece is clamped into a turning lathe. With sharp cutting tools the wood is cleared away from the workpiece. The big difference to carving is that the workpiece is turning and the tool remains almost completely still.

Ringturning

Ringturning is a special kind of the Woodturning that was invented in the 19^th Century in the Ore Mountains. At First the workpiece is clamped into a special lathe that forms a large ring (up to 50 cm / 20 inches), which possesses the basic form of the later sculpture. By cutting off smaller parts and the dividing the ring the workpiece later receives its actual form. From one ring more than 50 single figures can be made.