A ‘Black Forest’ walnut plaque of the “Lion of Lucerne”

A ‘Black Forest’ walnut plaque of the “Lion of Lucerne”, of rectangular form with a recess showing a dying lion resting on two shields, the motto “Helvetiorum Fidei Ac Virtuti dei X August II et III Septembris MDCCXCII” (to the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss, 1792) carved above and below, two paper labels on the reverse. Swiss, probably Brienz, circa 1890.

Footnote:  For many years carved wooden pieces such as this were wrongly thought to have come from the Black Forest in Germany.  However, we now know that a wide variety of carvings were actually produced in the Swiss Alps as extensively researched by Arenski, Daniels and Daniels.  In their publication ‘Swiss Carvings, The Art of the ‘Black Forest’ 1820-1940’ Woodbridge 2005, the drawing of the design and a photograph of a Lion of Lucerne plaque by Walter Fluck of Brienz can be found on page, 98, plates 146-147.  A similar plaque in the Royal Collection can be seen in the Swiss Chalet at Osborne House, Isle of Wight.