Wildflecken Germany WW II Inkwell Bird Carving

Collectibles : Folk Art : Black Forest Inkwell

 

Sweetpea Cottage has obtained this marvelous piece of historical folk art done in the Black Forest tradition. Look it over carefully and you will see how terrific it is.

This desk ink well and pen holder certainly looks to be a piece of Black Forest carving. It is a wonderfully carved item with a unique provenance. It is about 7 inches wide, at its widest point, and 4.75 inches tall, at its highest point. The carving has a bird sitting in the center that looks to possibly be a hawk. The bird was carved separately and was attached to the base. Some signs of the glue are visible at the point of attachment. The inkwell is located inside a “tree stump” that has a hinged lid. The glass insert for the inkwell is missing, but it appears to be of a standard size so that a replacement should be easy to obtain. The base is a solid piece of wood. Overall, a dark stain was applied to darken the wood and give it the classic Black Forest look. If it was ever waxed, then the wax has mostly worn off. It has a good patina, but the new owner might wish to buff it up a bit.

The origin of this piece is unique. On the bottom are some notes written in ink. The words are "Wildflecken Germany" and "1945". Wildflecken was a military facility located in Bavaria. It was used by the Nazis during WWII and, eventually, by the Allies at the close of the war. In 1945 it served as a relocation facility for displaced persons at the conclusion of the war. This item might have been picked up by a US soldier stationed there at the conclusion of the war, or it might have been made at that time by a displaced person who was located in the camp. The written notation on the bottom is probably a later addition used to identify the item for future generations. This is a skillfully carved piece of folk art and would be a handsome addition to any collection. The story that goes along with it is open to speculation and merely adds to its interest! Please do not hesitate to ask questions before purchasing!

Sweetpea Cottage guarantees that this item is exactly as listed. If you are not pleased with this inkwell, for any reason, you may return it for a full refund of the purchase price minus shipping charges. Simply notify us by email within 3 days of receiving your purchase that you intend to return it. Once it is returned in a timely fashion, then we will issue the refund. Shipping for this gem is $9.00. Buy from Sweetpea Cottage with confidence!

Item ID: CBFI-195