See what I found while clearing out the closet? Like many German kids in the 1970s, my room was decorated with colorful wooden Fairy Tale wall art (Wandfigur) that depicted some of my favorite Fairy Tales. Made by companies like Mertens Kunst and Ravi Kunst, these bright, cheery wall hangings have become collectibles today. Designs all came from
fairy tales or animals. And for a German kid raised on Grimm (not Disney), the stories were instantly recognizable.
Fairy Tale Wall Hangings
I did a little digging online to learn more about this sweet Folk-Art form. The German Fairy Tale Wall Figures were made in Germany between 1930 and the 1980s. The primary makers of these pieces were Mertens-Kunst, Heller, and Ravi-Kunst. Most of the pieces were hand-painted, and you can see the brush strokes. But they didn’t just make the wall hangings! Measuring charts to track a child’s height were very popular, as were colorful wooden Jumping Jacks. And of course, in every German child’s room was a fairy tale coat rack, hung at child height to make it easy to use.
What is interesting to me is how bright the colors still are all these years later. Time and the sun have not worn off any of the shiny, bright paint. High-quality shows. Simple thin pieces of wood and oil paint … and yet, it leaves a strong memory. I can still remember looking at them where they hung on the wall by the door, while Mama read to me in the evening before bed.
Coat Racks, Growth Charts!
When I was growing up, we had the Goose Girl ( Gänseliesel), the Miller’s Daughter, who spun straw into gold for Rumpelstiltskin, and Little Red Riding Hood (Rotkäppchen). Gretel appeared somewhere along the way… Later, my aunt gave me Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Schneewittchen und die Sieben Zwerge) for my daughter’s room. Today one of the dwarves has gone wandering… and we hope to find him again soon.
We also had the coat rack with 3 Elves, each with their own peg to hold our sweaters when we came in from school. It was a never-ending battle… the coat rack had 3 pegs… and my sister and I had to share.
Who Were These Wall Hanging Makers?
Hellerkunst or Heller began in a goat shed. Well, Georg and Magda Heller both went to art school to study graphic arts. She began to make a name for herself by painting fairy tale images on Kindergarten walls in the Wuppertal area. He got the idea to transfer her paintings to wood. They took their business model and a jig saw into their goat shed, where they began cutting and painting. Years later, the company headed by their son was still making wooden toys. The company prides itself on making the products by hand from high-quality wood. Today, their grandson, Jan, and his sister Sabine are still making wooden decorations for children’s rooms, but they are also taking the company in a new direction…musical instruments. Read more about them here– >
HellerMertens-Kunst was very active from the 1960s to the 1990s, making wall hangings. Although the company was founded by Alfred Mertens, it was his daughter, Ute Mertens, who came up with most of the designs. Today, although they no longer make the wall hangings, the company is still around, making wooden children’s toys. The style has just changed to a more modern look.
Ravi began in 1940 when Erna Rath and Lisa Viertel combined their names and talents to make painted children’s toys and decorations. The company stayed in operation until 1970. You’ll find a stamp of a dancing elf on the back of their products.
It is a shame that some of these companies have vanished. But tastes change… and people move on. And if you are lucky, you can still find and collect these old pieces.
One thing I did notice is just HOW MANY different Fairy Tall Wandfiguren are still available! Every fairy tale and story from Germany must have been made into one. And like me, people just packed them away.
Today these my Fairy Tale wall hangings live in a box. My kids are “too old” for such things. But, I’m not ready to let them go. They will stay with me until another child comes along. Then they will go back on the wall, and I will get to read the stories to new ears.
Want to see more of this Vintage Fairy Tale Wall Art?
Take a look at the Online Museum of German Wall Figures! Christiane Dietz has created a site to preserve images of these wonderful pieces of Folk Art. Click Here–> Online Museum of German Wall Figures
Buy Vintage Fairy Tale Wall Art from Mertens-Kunst, Ravi, and HellerKunst!
Because they aren’t being made anymore… all of these are older/vintage. Still, they are quite cute!
Coat Hangers and Measuring Charts
Add a very colorful German touch to any Child’s room with these fun (and useful) art pieces
Lot of 3 Vintage Wooden Mertens Kunst Schneewittchen Germany Snow White with Two Dwarfs Gnomes Wall Plaques HangersLot of 5 Vintage Mertens Kunst German Wood Fairy Tale Wall Hangings Childs RoomMertens Kunst German Fairy Tale German wooden wall hangings-11 piecesVintage Germany 1970s Set Of 3 Gnomes Elves Wall Plaques Erzgebirge Wood Wooden Fretwork Flat Decorations Mertens KunstLot of Alfred Mertens wooden wall hangings. Vintage
Merten Kunst Wooden Child’s Nursery Bedroom Wall Art – Elehant Wall Hanger w/ 4 Pegs- Mid Century – Made GermanyVINTAGE 1960s Toy Wooden PULL-STRING Puppet Jumping Jack Clown Wall Hanger Mertens Kunst 1960s Painted Wood Made in West GermanyWall mounted wooden coat rack Kids clothing rack Vintage wall hooks by Alfred Mertens Towel hooks
Children’s fairytale wall decor, hand painted vintage 1987, Alfred Mertens , W. GermanyVintage 80s kids coat rack Wood Kindergarderobe Mertens Art Gardener No.25442 hook bar postmodern nostalgia 1981 decorationRare German Mertens Kunst Fairytale ‘Weather Prophet’ Wood Dwarf & Frog Wall Plaque1971 Wall Plaque Coat Rack Vintage Cartoon Mid-Century Modern Mod Elf Bright Pop Art Kawaii Cute Culture Alfred MERTENS KUNST West Germany
Lot of 5 Vintage Mertens Kunst German Wood Fairy Tale Wall Hangings Childs Room
