A Letter From The European Christmas Market
Antique Bavarian Pewter Art is the oldest art work that The European Christmas Market imports to date.
Bavarian Pewter Art has a history going back hundreds of years and ornaments have been found at excavations dating back to 500 A.D.
In the Middle Ages, relief ornaments (cast from one-side) were sewn to the hats and garments of pilgrims. These pilgrims visited shrines and monasteries throughout Bavaria. At that time, pewter amulets, ornaments, religious icons, and jewelry sold in churches and convents to support the church. In the early 1500s, when the custom of decorating rooms at Christmas with fir trees began, pewter Christmas decorations became very popular. Today, Bavarian Pewter Art is highly valued and collected by discerning collectors throughout Europe and the world.
The European Christmas Market in Scottsdale, Arizona represents Bavarian Pewter Art from roughly six different artist families ranging over three different regions. Many of these designs presented at the European Christmas Market are from antique molds. The time-honored tradition of hand-crafted pewter art has been kept alive by several professioal and highly artistic families that can trace their family's designs and artwork back hundreds of years. Their newer designs are based on historic folk art motives.
The Process!
Each artpiece is entirely made by hand. There are no machines used in any part of the process.
MAKING THE MOLDS
The molds are created by carving (free-hand) the intricate designs into a slab of slate (stone).
Artists are assisted only by magnifying glasses to etch the tiniest of detail. Designs that are used as ornaments or as standing figures require two molds - a front and an actual back. The carving of these molds require, in many cases, hundreds of tedious work hours. Each mold's "life" is limited to approximately one thousand castings.
CASTING THE MOLDS
When the mold is completed, the art piece is cast. Molten pewter is carefully poured in to the mold. Each piece is cast of real pewter (93.5% tin-absolutely no lead is used). Some artists use gold and other precious metals as binding agents in the other 6.5% to add luster to their art pieces.
FINISHING THE PIECE
After removing the artwork from the mold, it is meticulously and repeatedly hand-polished. Each piece is then delicately and intricately hand-painted. Each artist adds his or her own flare and technique, using a variety of paints and lacquers.
Thus creating what we call today:
Antique Bavarian Pewter Art!
Full line of BAVARIAN'S most loved folkloric pewter art:
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The UltimateChristmastree
5 inches
Wilhelm Schweizer Pewter Art
1992 CreationThe first of the yearly
DATED
Angels!
Angel Lighting
Christmastree
3 1/2 inches
By: Wilhelm Schweizer
CLICK HERE!
Santa's Sleighride5 inches
By: Wilhelm Schweizer
CLICK HERE!
EASTER DESIGNS
made like this one
by: Wilhelm Schweizer!
CLICK HERE!