‘Speculaasplank’, Traditional Mold for the Belgian Version of ‘gingerbread man’

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About the Item

This is a ‘speculaasplank’, used as a mold for the Flemish and Dutch version of a ‘gingerbread man’. Every baker had a selection of designs, often associated with religious holidays, and this is an example that would have been used for Christmas in the town of Zonhoven, Belgium. Saint Nick is depicted with three children in his protection. This depicts the final scene of a traditional local Christmas story “Sinterklaas en de drie kinderen in ´t pekelvat” (‘Saint Nick and the three children in the pickle barrel’) in which the young students are saved by Sinterklaas. There is a groove around the outline of the figure which would have held a strip of metal so that the board could be used like a biscuit-cutter. This object was rescued from a fire at the village bakery in Zonhoven, Belgium, after WW2. The original metal outline strip may have dropped out during this adventure. There is a broad collector interest for traditional folk carvings with clear provenance, and this example shows detail and scale. The board measures 50 cm x 21 cm x 3,5 cm / 19.68 inch x 8.26 inch x 1.37 inch Exact age (1890s) of the craving is naturally difficult to determine. The wood appears to be elm and there has been a little shrinkage in the wood (accelerated by the fire), but this is part of its long story and exposure to daily life. The signs of love and use enhance it as an attractive decorative object and talking point. "In Zonhoven, Belgium , on July 18, 1914, there was a very violent thunderstorm, and lightning struck the classrooms of the convent of the Sisters of Charity and started a fire. The hundreds of girls who were in the school shot up in alarm as the thunder struck and the fire that started to perpetuate. But the teachers kept all their cool-headedness and led the children out and took them to safety. Meanwhile the parents of the little ones rushed over and took their children home with them. The Maris bakery, where this was used, was located right across the monastery and the old girls' school. The story of the children rescued from the fire of the school has reverberated for a long time and depicted in a US monument in the town. This is partly why this image has special local resonance. After WW2 there was a fire in the bakery and the shape must have gotten its burn marks there." (local history group)

Dimensions:
Height: 19.68 in (49.99 cm)Width: 8.26 in (20.99 cm)Depth: 1.37 in (3.48 cm)
Style:
Arts and Crafts (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Elm,Hand-Carved,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Netherlands
Period:
1890-1899
Date of Manufacture:
1890
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. The wood appears to be elm and there has been a little shrinkage in the wood (accelerated by the fire), but this is part of its long story and exposure to daily life. The signs of love and use enhance it as an attractive decorative object and talking.
Seller Location:
Verviers, BE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1441221313992

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