Black Forest or Foret Noire
Sounds like a gateau from the 1970's, but in antiques its a genre of normally lime wood carved figures. Often of animals especially bears and dogs, sometimes lifelike or more often slightly comical.
There is no end to the range of size some huge bears and over life size dogs through to tiny miniature items normally all with glass eyes. As the tourist trade gathered pace in the late 19th century visiting Germany Bavaria and Swiss borders.
The Swiss tended to lazy Lions of Lucerne lake and St Bernard dogs, gnomes and bears often with snaps bottle holders and glasses.
Figures can go from a mid tan brown to a deep dark cherry black colour and of course as unique can vary in quality selling from £10 to many thousands of pounds, a very worthwhile and fun subject to collect.
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