Very Rare German Pull-Toy Cow in Swiss Festival Costume

Live Auction

15" (38 cm.) l. Standing upon a wooden base with cast iron spoked wheels is a brown and white hide-covered cow with large brown glass eyes, horns, carved hooves and nose, and hide tail. The cow has original leather collar with brass bell, and is decorated with a bead-trimmed needlework collar accented with colorful braided ribbon streamers, and with a brass coronet with colorful wreath of flowers. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Germany, mid-1800s. The Alpine regions of Switzerland, Germany and Austria traditionally celebrated Spring with the annual "ascent to the mountains" during which herds of cows and their shepherds single-filed the narrow mountain passes to reach the freshest grasses at the mountain peaks, where they feasted until August. At that time, they returned, single-file again, down the narrow passes to the villages below. The return to the villages ("descent from the mountains", known as "Almabtrieb" in Austria and "Alpabfahrten" in Switzerland) was celebrated by merry festivals. The shepherds dressed in colorful traditional folklore costumes, and the greatest milk-producing cow was bedecked with flowers and a crown. Historical accounts have poetically described the event as "cow bells across the meadows". Value Points: very rare early toy with wonderful detail and historical background.