The smoking men or "Rachermännel" are an invention of Erzgebirge folk art and are as inseparable from it as they are from Christmas. However, their astonished expression is not due to the festive occasion, but solely to their function: The fragrant smoke from the glowing incense cones rises through the mouth opening. These incense smokers are made in the manufactory Erzgebirgische Volkskunst Richard Glässer, which was founded in 1932. The traditional Seiffen figures, which are based on the characteristic turned shapes, are mainly handmade here. Numerous work steps are required until the local wood - exclusively from certified forestry - has taken on its final form. The smokers sit on a round wooden disc, whose three metal tongues hold the small incense candle in position and at the same time secure the figure so that it cannot slip. The incense smokers are supplied without incense cones. Small incense cones must be used for them; these can be ordered separately (item number 203365).

The fact that a famous wood art developed in the originally densely forested Erzgebirge is not only explained by the availability of the material. As a branch of industry, handicrafts became all the more important as the local mining industry rapidly lost resources and profitability. Folk art slipped into this gap, which mining - no less than Christmas - still shaped with numerous motifs. A center of wood art emerged around Seiffen, where one of the first specialized trade schools was founded in 1853 to promote handicrafts. In the so-called Toy Corner, small and large craft businesses still produce the classics of the folk art of the Erzgebirge: from hoop animals and smoking men to miner figures and nutcrackers to candle arches and wing pyramids.

The burning of fragrant plants, woods and resins is deeply rooted in spirituality and ancient customs. Whether it is traditional Chinese medicine, the sweat lodge of the indigenous peoples of America or the incense ceremonies of the Twelvetide: they all refer to the purifying power attributed to the burning of incense. Even if the cultic significance gradually receded into the background, the custom of burning incense was nevertheless preserved. We inevitably associate the scent of frankincense and myrrh, pine and sandalwood with a festive feeling of well-being – as if the scent of incense already contains a power that lifts the spirits and thus cleanses body and mind of troubles.

Don’t leave this item unattended when using it. During use, please place it on a fireproof base.