Christmas 2013 . . . December 1

The countdown to Christmas begins.  Hopefully I'll have a special Christmas antique for you each day until the 25th.  

These are two fine little German Santas.  The one on the right, in his dark brown coat, is a rare color for a Belsnickle and opens to reveal a candy container.  His face is especially finely painted.  The Santa on the left is a rare German Luffa piece with rabbit fur beard.   Luffa Santas are extremely hard to find.   German toymakers dried out the Luffa (normally used for making sponges) and decorated Christmas sleighs and Easter carts with it, but a Luffa Santa is extra special!