Pair of Black Forest dog-form wooden coat hangers

Produced in Switzerland during the latter 19^th Century, these carved wooden coat hangers are examples of so-called Black Forest wares. Black Forest pieces took as their subjects the creatures and forms of the forest. As such, animals such as bears and deer were popular—as were dogs and wolves, the subjects portrayed here. The current pieces are beautifully carved, most probably from walnut, each piece featuring a head set against a wooden blackboard plaque, which is carved with foliate forms and supports three individual hooks. One piece depicts a hunting dog, while the other represents a wolf.