pucciManuli - A Remarkable Collection

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The exclusive handcrafted work of the Erzgebirge Mannelmacher – makers of little people from the Ore Mountains – has been carefully nurtured for generations.  Thanks to the workshops of Walter Werner and his three (3) sons, these century-old motifs and traditional techniques live on today, showcasing the creative preservation of their historical heritage.

It is often the simplest of mechanisms - enabling the clever movement of a toy - which fascinates children of all ages the most.  Wolfgang Werner is part of a long-standing tradition of Erzebirge toymakers who established their reputations years ago with an extensive collection of moving, ringing and noisemaking playthings. 

These movable wooden toys handcrafted by Seiffen toymakers generations before found their way into the hands of children everywhere for fantasy-filled play. Wiggling riders, a Rocking Goose or Sawyer, or Bobbing Rooster are all based on simple mechanical principles passed down from generation-to-generation from Berchtesgaden, Bavaria and Seiffen.  By means of a bob - or a ball in balance - the Horse and Rider suddenly move when pushed, the Sawyer begins to work, the Rooster begins to eat. The small discs on wooden axles pop the horse and rider up and down during his ride.  Simple yet significant mechanical principles of movement are revealed to children of all ages in a playful way. 

The long history of these toys is also evident in children’s songs.  In verse four (4) of Heinrich von Fallersleben’s “Tomorrow, children there will be gifts” of 1835, he says: “in my diligent sawing man with a ball below.”  Pattern books, such as the toy pattern book from the Waldkirchen dealer C. H. Oehme, very likely the oldest, gives you a vivid picture of the beauty and talent of these early toymakers.  It is in this spirit that Wolfgang Werner’s workshop creates many of these very same toys today – made just as they were.  In addition, Wolfgang puts his own spin on some classic favorites as well as dreaming up brand new designs and thus, discovery.  All of which are made from wood.