Collection: Christian Gifts

What are these Christian wooden gifts?

The collection spans wall crosses, nativity sets and two keepsake boxes, each made by hand in workshops across India, Indonesia and Peru. The crosses vary widely in construction and finish. One is cut from mango wood with an open lattice of leaves and scrolling stems. Another shows a bare tree carved in relief across the full face, its branches spreading into the arms and left in whitewash. A third is painted on black with white stems and a large pink flower at the centre. A fourth is cut from a single piece with two open hearts locked together.

The nativity sets range from a hand-carved three-figure set of Joseph, Mary and the Christ child to two pieces from Peru. One is a hinged retablo painted with folk flowers on the outside that opens to reveal the scene within. The other is a cedar triptych with chisel-textured doors and a metal clasp. The two keepsake boxes offer different approaches: one carved from mango wood with a Celtic cross set into the lid, the other hexagonal and hand-painted in amber and cobalt with a white cross on top.

Because every piece is carved, painted or turned by hand, no two are identical. Variations in depth of carving, paint application and wood grain are part of their individual character.

You might also like Tree of Life and Wooden Boxes.