Starting Your Collection: Display, Organize, and Enjoy
Every collection starts with one figure. Maybe it was a gift from someone who visited a German Christmas market. Maybe you spotted it in a shop window and something about it — the warmth of the wood, the simple charm of the painted face, the unexpected weight of a handmade object — stopped you in your tracks. Whatever brought you that first figure, you're here now, and you're wondering: what comes next?
Understanding the Three Families
Before you buy your second figure, take a moment to understand the three artisan families behind the Figurenwald collection. Each has a distinct aesthetic, and knowing the differences will help you collect with intention rather than impulse.
The Hoblers make character figures that are playful, warm, and full of personality. Their cast includes Fritz the snowman, guardian angels Hans and Lotte, bears Barnd and Barbel, rabbits Max and Emma, and Gustav the little devil. The figures are made from select maple and beech, finished with six surface treatments, and each one carries a silver heart pressed into the left foot — the family's trademark and your guarantee of authenticity. If you're drawn to figures with personality and charm, start here.
Bjorn Kohler works in a more minimalist register. The Red Nose Santas are the most iconic — clean, lathe-turned cones with simple faces and that one brilliant red nose. The Christmas Women, nativity figures, and animal companions (Olaf the moose, Rudolf the reindeer) share the same philosophy: maximum character from minimum detail. If you appreciate modern design and clean form, start here.
Blank Kunsthandwerk has been making pleated-skirt angels for over 70 years. The concert angels — each holding a different instrument from a catalog of over 70 — are the most collectible series. Floating angels, star angels, and crystal-edition display pieces round out the collection. If you love traditional Erzgebirge craft at its most refined, start here.
Your First Purchase
Don't overthink it. Seriously. The figure that catches your eye is the right one to start with. Collecting is personal, and the "correct" first figure is whichever one you keep picking up and looking at. That said, a few practical suggestions:
If you want a single statement piece, consider a mid-size Kohler Red Nose Santa or a Blank concert angel with your favorite instrument. Both are immediately recognizable as quality Erzgebirge pieces and serve as natural conversation starters.
If you want to start building a scene right away, the Hobler characters work beautifully together. Fritz and Otto (the snowman on the sled) create an instant winter vignette. Add Hans or Lotte the guardian angel and you have a display with narrative.
If you're buying a gift for someone else, the smaller Kohler Santas or a single Blank floating angel are safe, beautiful choices that don't require the recipient to already understand Erzgebirge woodcraft.
Displaying Your Collection
These figures are not meant to live in a cabinet with the door closed. They were designed to be seen, handled (gently), and enjoyed as part of your daily environment. Here are some principles that experienced collectors swear by:
Give each figure space. Resist the urge to crowd figures together. Each one was designed as an individual, and cramming them shoulder to shoulder diminishes their presence. A few figures with breathing room between them will always look better than a packed shelf.
Use natural materials for display surfaces. A wooden shelf, a piece of slate, a linen runner — materials that echo the handcrafted nature of the figures themselves. Glass and acrylic work too, but avoid anything that feels industrial or cheap. These are handmade objects, and they deserve a setting that respects that.
Consider the light. Erzgebirge figures are finished with lacquers that respond beautifully to warm light. A shelf near a window that gets afternoon sun, or a display lit by warm LED spots, will bring out the depth of the surface treatments. Harsh overhead fluorescents will flatten everything. The figures deserve better.
Group with intention. There are two schools of thought: group by artisan family (all Hoblers together, all Kohlers together) or group by theme (all Santas together, all angels together, all animals together). Both work. The family grouping highlights the stylistic differences between workshops. The thematic grouping creates scenes and stories. Try both and see which feels right for your space.
Organizing and Tracking
Once you have more than a handful of figures, a simple tracking system helps. Nothing elaborate — a note on your phone or a small spreadsheet with:
- Figure name and artisan family - Size and any edition details - Date and place of purchase - Condition notes
This becomes valuable over time. You'll remember where you found each piece, and if you're building toward a complete set (all Blank concert instruments, for example), you'll know exactly which ones you still need.
Seasonal vs. Year-Round Display
Most people associate Erzgebirge figures with Christmas, and there's nothing wrong with bringing them out only during the holiday season. But many collectors display at least some figures year-round. The Hobler characters — snowmen, bears, rabbits, angels — aren't exclusively Christmas figures. A Fritz snowman on a bookshelf in July is a perfectly valid design choice.
A practical approach: keep your full collection displayed during the holiday season (November through January), then curate down to a smaller year-round selection of favorites. Rotate pieces occasionally to keep the display fresh and to give yourself the pleasure of rediscovering figures you haven't seen in a while.
Quality Over Quantity
One genuine, handmade Erzgebirge figure — crafted through 100-plus steps in a family workshop — is worth more than a shelf full of mass-produced alternatives. The weight is different. The finish is different. The feeling of holding it is different. You can tell the moment you pick one up that a human being spent real time making this specific object.
Collect slowly. Collect with intention. Let each addition to your collection be something you genuinely love, not just something that was available. The artisans who make these figures spend hours on each one. The least we can do as collectors is give each one the attention it deserves when we choose to bring it home.