Ulbricht Elf Smoker

The impish Elf Smoker seems to have come directly from Santa's workshop. This playful and enterprising fellow clad in red and green comes bearing gifts. A crimson bow on his hat completes the look. Smokers make perfectly festive presents; these working incense burners add atmosphere and a touch of whimsy to any home, and they're collected throughout the world for their charm and character. Simply insert the incense of your choice and enjoy the rich fragrance as it diffuses around the room. Hand-crafted from solid wood, this smoker has been hand-painted in Germany with a vibrant array of colors. It stands 8.5 inches tall. Spruce up your own holiday decorations with this fresh take on a genuine classic, or present your loved one, neighbor, or colleague with a timeless and unforgettable gift.

The Story of Ulbricht
Wood-turning on lathes, the Ulbricht grand tradition, can be traced back to the small German mining town of Seiffen, in the mountains of the Erzgebirge. Records document the Ulbricht family as wood turners from the 1700s.

Otto Ulbricht, a professional wood turner who started his own business in 1928, built a new factory in 1934. After World War II, when the area became the East German Zone and private industry was taken out of the hands of individuals, Otto took his family across the border where they resettled in the Bavarian town of Lauingen, near Augsburg. Once settled, with his Erzgebirge wood-turning traditions transplanted to Bavaria, Otto began again.

When Otto died in 1968, his son Christian Ulbricht, now in charge of the family enterprise, continued those time-honored traditions. In 1978 Christian expanded his thinking, and developed a new company which he named Holzkunst Christian Ulbricht.

In the early 1990s, when East and West re-unified and Germany once again became one nation, Christian brought back to the family the factory in Seiffen begun by his father so many years ago. Today, the company operates out of both locations.

Now in its third generation, the Ulbricht family continues to produce wood-turned products of the finest quality. In addition to an extensive line nutcrackers, there are incense burners, music boxes, figurines, pyramids and ornaments geared for Christmas and Easter.

Traditions are very important to Ulbricht. Not only those that strengthen ties to the land and to family, but also those that continue the traditions of excellence in production that date back 300 years.