Smokers

While nutcrackers are well-known around the world and synonymous with Christmas, its lesser known cousin, the smoker, played a significant role during the holiday season in German households. Also known as Räuchermann, smokers are incense burners typically designed in two pieces. A lit incense cone is placed on the bottom half of the smoker and the top half is placed on top. As the incense burns down, smoke escapes through the hole or mouth of the figure. In the mid 19th century, mining production in the Ore Mountains began to slow and German families in the area turned to traditional woodworking skills to produce smokers, nutcrackers, and other figurines in order to make a living. Unlike nutcrackers, which may feature political, military, or religious figures, smokers are traditionally carved in the image of the working class man with many figurines representing miners, foresters, shepherds, farmers, or carpenters. This particular smoker was made by Steinbach and features a falconer at work. See if you can spot any other smokers around the museum!