Traditional Swedish Handmade Dala Horse, White,

The Dala Horse ( Dalahast) has become an iconic symbol of Sweden. These traditional Dala Horses are loving handmade in Sweden using traditional techiniques from craftsman to make these much loved horses. Much work is involved in creating the Dala Horse from the felling of the wood in the forests, usually pine. It is then dried for 3 to 4 weeks after the initial carving which prevents it from splitting once painted.The design is drawn onto the wood & sawed by machine. Each craftsman carver has his own size of horse he likes to work with for him to handpaint & decorate & each Dala horse is then hand dipped & beautifully finished in the traditional artwork by hand. Each horse is also signed by the craftsman to show it's authenticity. No two Dala Horses are the same, making each horse truly unique. Available in classic Red, Black or White & 3 sizes, 7 cm, 10 cm, 13 cm. You could buy a set of 3 in graduating sizes to have your own herd. They make a great gift too!

The Dala horse is steeped in tradition & history. Made in Darlana, near Mora, where the original Dala Horse was created. Horses have always been of great imporatance to people for millenia & are highly valued for their transportation, symbol of strength, courage, faithfulness, wisdom & diginity. The horse is also a symbol of mystque & magic, a sacred animal as reflected in nordic mythology were the horse has belonged to the gods.

For centuries the horse has been captured in drawings, carvings, cave paintings & more. Wooden horses have been made & loved for years, as toys, symbols & talismans. In the long winter months, forestry workers in the 1700's would sit by the fire & carve these toys for their children... & so the modern, wooden horse was born. They were mainly in natural wood grain & unpainted, but loved by children & adults alike. In the1800's it became common to paint the horses with bright, floral patterns. Those that travelled selling goods at markets started bringing painted Dala Horses mainly used as payment in exchange for food & shelter. The horses were sold by some villages around Mora as early as the 1800's, spreading from Bergkaria's, Risa & Nusnas. Today they are manily made in Nusnas. The Olsson famliy lived in Nusnas, they were a poor family & the two brothers Nils & Janns as children carved horses after school to sell. In 1928 aged 13 & 15 they started a small factory & took up the old craft seriously. With a loan of 400 kronor for a bandsaw & mixing colours with brushes made from squirrels  tail hair the company was born. These traditional Dala Horses are now sold throughout the globe.  In 1939 at the World Expo in New York, the Dala Horse became world famous. They built a large Dala Horse outside the Swedish pavillion. It was a hit with the world press with articles & photos about this marvellous horse where seen. After this, demand grew, becoming the much loved symbol of Sweden & part of it's heritage & culture which continues today.  Have a traditional piece of history with the much handmade Dala Horse.