Want to have yourself a Merry Little Christmas…then let the fun begin with this gorgeous wooden box that captures the magical spirit of the holidays with gaiety and cheer! You will truly be amazed when you see this impressive offering in person as the lights cast soft shadows on the greens, mercury glass ornaments and of course the traditional, antique inspired Belsnickle!
A contemporary box was chosen for it's interesting canted form and beautiful wood graining. This piece has been mortised on each corner as referenced in image 19 and was crafted with unsurpassed detail in Ontario, Canada. The gentle curved detail in the front and the back allow for a better view of the Christmas festivities going on inside as shown in image 20. The box is in very good condition boasting rich dark areas in the wood sprinkled throughout sporting a nutmeg hue. Three pieces of wood were used for the bottom as referenced in image 15 and there is also a makers mark of "MM", Canada . The surface is smooth and there are no rough areas to report.
Holiday faux greens, some sporting snow tipped branches along with crimson red berries lend a beautiful texture as well as a natural outdoor appearance. This contemporary Santa or Belsnickle is in his element amidst a forest with evergreens standing taller than he is. His velvet ruby red coat adds rich detail and the silver tinsel seems to sparkle in the light. The hand painted facial features were done very well as his blue eyes seem to follow you where ever you go as shown in images 6 & 7. The snowy white beard has plenty of detail and I can almost hear a jolly, Ho~Ho~Ho~! There are several tiny areas on his velvet coat near the back that have small white specks as referenced in image 11. The base has been appropriately aged as shown in images 10, 11 & 12. Santa's folded arm feature along with holding a feather tree, topped with a berry, is a "period correct" attribute the artist carried over from the original German Belsnickle's fashioned long ago.
Contemporary small "Kugel's", i.e. German round balls, were added for color value and because they sparkle in the light. The gently antiqued silver ornament sports a ribbed design while the ruby red Kugel that has also been antiqued has a shiny appearance.
A pine cone accented with snow keeps this rustic, outdoor theme alive while two cinnamon sticks wrapped in homespun, (pictured off to the left) simulate bark from a tree. Of course I felt compelled to add a couple gourds to this wintery mix because of their neutral colors and interesting shapes.
A strand of 30 tiny lights that plug directly into an electric receptacle is also included so this display can be lit in the evening hours or on a cold, blustery day! You can set this gathering on a deep window sill to help welcome guests for the holidays or tuck this in a cupboard as well. Don't forget about the possibilities a mantle may offer with pewter chargers sprinkled about! This is a one of a kind piece that should make you, your homestead and guests very merry this holiday season! Enjoy!
The overall height of the box @ the tallest point (where Santa is residing, off to the right) measures 10 1/2" tall, the box itself filled with greens stands 7" @ the tallest point (off to the left) and the box again filled with greens measures 9" Deep @ the widest point (front to back) & lastly the box filled with greens measures 15" across (right to left side). Box itself measures 14" across the front edge area and graduates down to 12" near the bottom, the box is 7" Deep across the front edge and graduates down to 6". Box stands 3" tall @ the four corners and measures 2 1/2" in the middle where there is a gentle curve. This box was fashioned from 1/2" thick wood.
Belsnickle stands 8" Tall, measures 3" @ the widest point (bottom of coat where the tassels are located), measures about 2 1/2" in the middle and the base measures 2 1/2" across the bottom.
