Treen: a hard to define item, but most books and websites describe it as any 'functional', 'hand carved' wooden item, as distinguished from a 'factory constructed' item. Items can be decorative in additional to functional, but cannot be merely decorative. Items include mortars, chalices, bowls, cups, platters, pipes, nutcrackers, cutlery holders and cabinets, knife rests, egg cups, spice and salt boxes, scoops, coffee grinders, butter pats, springerle stamps/molds, sock darners, spoons, tobacco & snuff boxes; butter molds & churns, bobbins, needlecases, beetles, pastry crimpers, cabbage slicers, etc.
Reference Info:
--Treen or Small Woodware Throughout The Ages, Edward H. Pinto, 1949.
--Treen & Earthenware, by Anne Forty, 1979. |
