Museum Of Slovenia: Carved Spinning Wheel Distaff, 1830

A beautiful piece of folk art, originating in Slovenia, a small Alpine country bordering Austria.
It is a spinning distaff made from fruitwood, carved in shape of curious obelisk with openwork twists, mounted on a pivoting arm, entirely carved openwork hearts and a rosette, and which was fixed on flat top of a spinning wheel.
Furthermore, the screw that secures the two pieces to  wheel is carved in same small obelisk shape.
Engraved underneath, 1830.
The Gorenjska Museum displays several examples (photo).
H: 35cm, W: 8cm, L: 36cm.
As found, the entire piece has been varnished, with wear and a few small wormholes.
A short text from the museum, translated: ...were a gift given by boys to their chosen ones. The shape and ornamentation of distaffs generally carry symbolic meaning. The heart-shaped sculptures are followed by the solar wheel, an ancient symbol of the continuous cycle of life, known since the Bronze Age. The wish for numerous and healthy offspring, the foundation of future generations, is expressed in the phallic structure rising from the distaff. A gift offered to the chosen one was in reality a hidden erotic invitation to a future life together.
– eclectic – We are not experts, but have been in the business for over 50 years.
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