Free is nice!

We were out tramping around last weekend with our girls, going to a few estate sales and having tons of fun. When we took Gina back to her house where we had been dropping off items, we noticed people gathering in front of the house next to hers where we had attended an estate sale last week. Well, everything was free that was left in the basement area. We don't know how people knew about it, as they were lined up with tubs and boxes, etc. So of course, we went too!

I found books, Jim grabbed me a braided rug, I got a cute set of little piggy pictures I passed up at the sale, I rescued a vintage child's slip from the floor that is beautiful and some other items. I was going through some Christmas things and opened a box that had a German pyramid in it. I had seen it at the show, and figured some of the pieces must be missing, but took it anyway. I am a root hog, huh? I think dumpster diving is all that's left for me.

Yesterday I was looking at it and Jim and I put it all together and nothing is missing. I got on the internet to see if I could find some information. They were made in Germany during the end of WWII to send to the German soldiers on the war front. They were made to be collapsible. The company that produced them is called Erzgebirge and there is one small marking stamped on the box that had the little nativity characters in it.

They company just made a new version as a tribute to the carvers who made them before the craft died out. I'm going to post a picture of the new one first. It has more shepherds and sheep-mine has the Three Wise men. It is selling for $89.00. I guess I really got a good deal for free!

I just love it and recently have been collecting more German figures and nutcrackers for Christmas. This has to stay at our home. A very special find.