Tyrolian Wood Carving Depicting the Pied Piper of Hamelin
Located in San Francisco, CA
On offer is a mid 20th-century Italian wood carving depicting The Pied Piper of Hamelin and his rodent ‘followers’, likely retailed or sold as a souvenir in Switzerland. The figurine is highly characteristic of ANRI, a world-famous wood carving workshop located in the Val Gardena region of the South Tyrol Alps in Italy. It captures the German folkloric figure of the Pied Piper playing his pipe to lure away the five distinct rats scurrying around his feet. He is depicted wearing traditional Alpine garments, including a Tyrolean-style hat adorned with a feather, a flowing short cape, breeches, and tall socks with red piping detail. The piece is sculpted from a single block of Alpine wood (typically maple or lindenwood), displaying exceptional detail in the fabric folds and the expressive pose. It is finished with a delicate, translucent hand-brushed staining technique that highlights the natural grain of the wood. The bottom of the wooden block features handwritten text reading "Lucerne" (the scenic Swiss city). Local Swiss shops in tourist hubs like Lucerne frequently commissioned or purchased Italian Val Gardena carvings to sell as premium Alpine souvenirs. The handwritten mid-1960s timestamp perfectly matches the mid-century production period of these specific ANRI wood carvings...
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art Bay Area - Decorative Objects
Wood
