Bjorn

German Smokers, or smoking men, date back to around the 1600s.  In Germany, Christmas lasts for twelve days, December 25 through January 6th.  Each of the Twelve Days of Christmas has a special meaning with the final day celebrating the gifts of the Three Wise Men; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  On this day, many people celebrate by lighting incense and placing them in their German smokers to mark the end of the Christmas season. These figurines are also thought to bring luck after the holiday season.  Generally, these smokers were carved to represent the everyday working man; carpenters, shepherds and farmers just to name a few.  Instead of creating the working man, my inspiration for these smokers comes from my Norwegian heritage, which is why I chose to create Viking soldiers.  Each piece of the Viking soldier is turned on the lathe, sanded to shape, textured, burned, and carved before paint is applied.  After the painting is applied all the pieces are put together and the accessories are added to bring the character to life.  
 
Bjorn, is complete with real antlers on his helmet, an axe with the rune Valknut and Iron Horns on his sheild.