The Woodworking Werners at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt – This weekend only!
Date: November 21, 2019
Submitted: Christkindlmarkt
What: Since 2017 the Carmel Christkindlmarkt has had the pleasure of bringing Mr. Christian Werner and his son Andreas Werner from Werner Reifentiere to Carmel, IN all the way from Seiffen, Germany.
This year the woodworkers can be found in the Kinderecke (Hut #46) ( Christkindlmarkt Vendor’s Map) doing demonstration this Friday, Saturday and Sunday before they return to their home. This is something children and adults alike do not want to miss.
History of Reifendrehen – A Unique Woodworking Craft in Germany
Provided by Christian Werner.
In the year 1800, German toymakers in the Ore Mountains invented Reifendrehen, or “tire turning.” It was a sensation for the small town of Seiffen just south of Dresden. Unlike the traditional woodturning craft which had spread throughout the world, Reifendrehen remains unique to this town.
Only craftsmen in Seiffen make this special kind of wooden toy animals. The woodworkers remained loyal to their town and invested a lot of love into their unique craft. That prominent love and pride in their work turned the Heavens over Seiffen into a protective roof over their manufacturing town and earned them a well-known name in the world of wooden toys.
How the Reifentiere – or “tire animals” – come to life: The woodworker uses a large damp tire-shaped slice of spruce wood on his home-made wooden lathe. While turning the tire, he carves animal profiles into the tire without any templates or programs and strictly from his creative imagination.
Once the tire has been carved, dozens of perfectly shaped animals are split off all around. The artistic ability to create these unique toys in the midst of a highly technical time led Christian Werner and his team to produce ever more beautiful, higher-quality animals. Seiffen is proud that Werner
Reifentiere preserves this tradition incorporates innovation and remains the world’s only master workshop of its kind. The artwork comes to life, is split off, carved, accessorized. The crafted wood is painted and sealed. And just like that, large assortments of small works of art leave our workshop. After many years and generations, you may recognize the distinctive face of its creators and makers if you look closely.
Don’t miss the 2019 Carmel Christkindlmarkt
November 16 – December 24; Wednesdays & Thursdays 4-9 p.m. / Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays Noon-9 p.m.
Address: 10 Center Green, Carmel, IN 46032