The magic of Christmas a century ago is captured in handmade German Santas

Each snowflake that falls on Christmas morning is made of ice crystals and tiny particles of dirt, but despite their common composition, no two are exactly alike. Every snowflake is unique, which adds to the beauty and wonder of the snowfall. It is this same quality of individuality that draws collectors to antique German belsnickles.

The Father Christmas figures known as belsnickles were made in Germany from the 1860s through the beginning of World War I. The earliest examples were made of composition (a clay-like material made of paper and sawdust) and were fairly heavy in weight. As time went on, papier-mâché (a wet, pressed cardboard) became the material of choice, and the later cardboard examples feature staples down the sides. Belsnickles were usually hooded, stern-looking Santas, but they were molded and hand-painted by individual craftsmen, so no two were identical.

The name belsnickle resulted from the German immigrant translation of the term Pelz Nichol, which means “Nicholas in fur.” The beards of some figures were made of fur, and some wore felt robes decorated in fur. Many of the common examples had molded beards, painted robes and sparkly mica on their coats or hoods to simulate snow.

“Belsnickles capture the wonder of Christmas from long ago,” said well-known holiday antiques collector and author Bob Merck. “I often wonder when looking at them what those people experienced during Christmases past.”

Merck has been collecting Christmas antiques since 1980 and figures he has “a couple hundred” belsnickles in his collection at this point. He said it was frustrating, though, when he first started collecting.

“At a lot of shows in the spring and summer, I’d ask dealers if they had anything and they’d say they didn’t bring stuff out for the holidays until fall,” said Merck. “Then there was a shift in the late ’80s due to some books that came that brought a greater awareness, and dealers realized potential buyers were out there year-round.”

Kendra Daniel of northern New Jersey has collected belsnickles for more than 20 years. She and her husband, Allan, own around 100 examples including some hard-to-find pieces.

“There is something about them that is other-worldly,” said Kendra. “We’ve specialized in the more unusual ones, but I even like the ones that are common. They have a magical charm.”

In addition to belsnickles, the couple collects American folk art and original children’s art. Kendra is a painter, so it isn’t surprising that the driving force behind what they choose to collect is always an appreciation of the aesthetics of a piece. Their belsnickle collection is no exception. Kendra cites the variations in color, size and form that drew her to regard each belsnickle as a work of art.

The colors available span the rainbow, but white belsnickles are considered the most common followed closely by red and yellow. Brown or purple are regarded as the most difficult colors to find. The figures range in height from a couple of inches up to uncommonly large examples measuring more than 2 feet tall.

Some of the belsnickles were also candy containers that separated at the waist or the neck, concealing a cylinder that held the candy. Other Santa figures held candy in small baskets attached to their backs or belts, or transported their sweets in a wicker car or moss-covered sleigh.

Some of the Santa variations in the Daniels’ collection include an example coming out of a chimney, one decorated with Dresden stars and one whose beard is made from crystals. Kendra and Allan also own two hard-to-find angel figures and one snowman.

Kendra remembers being introduced to belsnickles on a visit to Bob Merck’s home.

“I didn’t know about belsnickles then. I remember going to his home and looking at his vintage Christmas stuff and thinking it was so much better than anything I had,” said Kendra.

Kendra acquired her first few belsnickles after that visit, but it wasn’t until she joined The Golden Glow of Christmas Past, a club for collectors of antique Christmas items, that her collection took off. “Collecting belsnickles got more interesting as I learned more about them, so my collection grew and grew,” she said.

Just as she was in awe of Merck’s collection, Kendra said people who visit her home now that aren’t familiar with belsnickles are fascinated when they first see them. The Daniels’ collection of belsnickles is displayed year-round in their home. A custom-built shelving unit houses the majority of the collection, while some of the taller pieces must stand alone. Their tallest belsnickle measures 23 inches tall, but holds a tree in his hand that pushes his total height to around 40 inches. They also own a few miniature belsnickles measuring just 3 or 4 inches tall. Fittingly, during the Christmas season the Daniels’ belsnickle display changes. “I bring them all out and put them around the living room and dining room,” said Kendra. “They get all the best spots. Making an arrangement with your collection is very important to some collectors – including me.”

Merck also likes to change his display during the holiday season. He keeps a lot of his pieces on display all year, but at Christmas he brings out his most fragile items and creates special displays. One of his rarest items is one that took him four years to acquire.

“I bought it at an antique show in Illinois. It was an imposing, large figure with a molded cardboard crown, which is rare,” he said. “The boots were missing, but it was so wonderful I bought it anyway. Well, four years later the dealer I bought it from wrote me a letter saying she found the boots in her attic! She sent them to me at no additional charge.”

Service like that is one of the reasons Merck prefers to buy from dealers he knows or has met at shows or auctions. “Every collector makes mistakes. You build on your own experience and learn a lot over time,” he said. “But if you deal with someone who has a good reputation, you don’t have to worry that they’re trying to pawn a reproduction off on you.”

As a seasoned collector, Merck knows what to look for when comparing antique and contemporary belsnickles. He said antique belsnickles have even soiling, good patina and – most of all – smell “old.” The “smell test” is the one Merck relies on most often. Newer paints tend to lose their odor slowly, he said, so a belsnickle with any kind of chemical smell to it is probably contemporary.

Not that there’s anything wrong with modern belsnickles in Merck’s opinion; he owns several examples by contemporary artists. He said there are wonderful artists making reproductions today, and most are not trying to deceive collectors. Many of the new belsnickles are marked and dated to avoid confusion, but it’s wise to be cautious before spending several hundred dollars on what you believe to be an antique. “It’s all about having a good time,” said Merck. “If you like it, buy it.”

Best Belsnickles Resources

The best way to proceed when learning about something new is to seek out the experts. And when it comes to collecting any Christmas antiques, they’re almost all in one place: The Golden Glow of Christmas Past. The Glow, as it is affectionately called by its members, is a club for collectors of Christmas items with an emphasis on early, pre-1966 items. Formed in 1980, the club now boasts 1,000-plus members, and its annual convention regularly draws more than 600 attendees.

Bob Merck and Kendra and Allan Daniel are all long-time members of The Glow. In addition to the club as a resource, Kendra cites two books as excellent resources for antique belsnickle collectors: Christmas Ornaments - A Festive Study by Margaret Schiffer (revised 1997) and Merck’s Deck the Halls - Treasures of Christmas Past (1992).

“Bob is known for having one of the best ‘eyes’ when it comes to buying holiday antiques,” said Dan Morphy, chief operating officer of Morphy Auctions, in a 2006 press release. “He has always been very condition sensitive in what he has bought, always going for the best.”

Morphy sold several belsnickles from Merck’s collection in a September 2006 sale conducted by the Denver, Pa., auction house. One of the best examples was a 25-inch belsnickle designed to reflect the holiday gift-giver in circa 1870 Pennsylvania German-style. With glass eyes, wooden teeth and a horsehair beard, the well-detailed figure held a toy sack and many miniature toys. It more than doubled its low estimate to bring $25,300 (including 10 percent buyer’s premium).

“Morphy’s, Bertoia’s, Noel Barrett’s [auction houses], are all good sources for belsnickle collectors in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey area,” said Merck. “Plus they’re accessible online [through www.LiveAuctioneers.com] for those outside the area.”