This Black Forest "Bear + Bear Cub" is a wonderful example of period craftsmanship. The detailed sculpture and narrative composition in which a mother bear encourages her cub to climb the tree, transforming branches into functional and decorative hooks, reflect a craftsmanship and attention to detail that are really rare to find!

This piece not only serves as a practical hall tree/Umbrella Stand (offering space to hang coats and store umbrellas, walking sticks and canes) but it's also an amazing sculpture! The exceptional condition of the piece, described as excellent despite its age, is a testament to the care and maintenance it has received over the years.

This charming hall stand is naturalistically carved in Linden wood and depicts a standing Black Forest bear next to a tree, with open mouth and eyes watching its young cub in the branches above, one paw supports a looping branch to hold umbrella or walking sticks and the naturalistic base incorporates a shaped drip tray. 

Sculptural Black Forest carving originates from the small mountain town of Brienz, in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Switzerland. After a disastrous famine in 1816, this Swiss town found itself forced to find new avenues of revenue and employment and the Swiss government encouraged the existing timber industry to expand into wooden craftsmanship.  

Helped by the large number of visitors on the Grand Tour visiting the region, the industry rapidly expanded in the early 19th century with several important firms being founded. Brienz carving workshops exhibited at many of the great international exhibitions of the period including London 1851, London 1862, Chicago 1893 and Paris 1900.  

The exhibitions combined with the founding of the Brienz School of Wood Carving in 1884 helped not only to popularise their works but to transform them from popular souvenir items to aspirational works of art.