Manufactory

Inventing a little world with intense joy where the heart finds a home. Touchingly beautiful of high artistry.


Since 1989 a distinctive own collection grew with the pleasure of innovation and technical mastery – unconventional and modern, poetic and always with a bright blinking.
The following success story is based on the quality of our manufactory. Our figures are still predominantly created by hand from the first sketch to the final touch – with dedicated employees, fresh ideas and of highly handcrafted quality. Both the unique design as well as care and development of traditional handicraft were awarded with many prizes the last years. For example, they won the design award of the association of craftmen from the Ore Mountains “Tradition und Form”.
The fantasy flourishes by curiosity and marvellous wooden figures are produced. No matter if funny Santa Clauses, Kobolds, Well-Wishers or the Crib figures – they all become a final figure through the work of many hands, handcrafted mastery and a great passion for detail. You actually can see it and feel it in your hand. With their modern design and typical handwriting, our small heroes differ from traditional handicraft from the Ore Mountains, but they’re still agreeable conventional.

Milestones and awards

Touchingly beautiful made of wood since more than 30 years.
  • 2023

    Unplanned Feat of Strength

    Some Individual figure parts are manufactured by certified partners in the our mountains, of which the longest-standing one announced the discontinuation of production at the beginning of this year. This put us in dire straits. After many discussions and negotiations, as well as the reorganization of our workshop, we took over employees and machines.

  • 2022

    Moving the manufactory

    After two years of construction, the manufactory moves from Goetheweg to a new location. For this purpose, an old toy factory in the village was brought back to life with a lot of dedication. From the cutting of the wood to the sale in the workshop gallery, the lovingly crafted figures are now created in the new building at Borstendorfer Straße 67a.

  • 2021

    Audience favourites

    Since their appearance in the late Summer of 2019, the seven black-robed musicians of the Ore Mountains Allstarband have enjoyed a steadily growing fan base and were thus able to win the audience award of the local newspaper readers in the "Tradition & Form" competition for themselves and their inventor.

  • 2020

    Eye-catcher with charisma

    The outside of the Seiffen store gallery, which was previously rather inconspicuous, has been redesigned and became an eye-catcher. In fresh colors and with a modern designed entrance area, the gallery with the unique manufactory assortment invites to an inspiring shopping tour.

  • 2019

    Sound on, clapperboard ...

    ... and please! This is how the film recording for our short movie in celebration of our 30th anniversary started. The film shows, what lies close to Björn Köhler's heart since the very beginning, what affects and motivates him. – We celebrated the anniversary of the manufacture on the third Sunday in October, the day, which is traditionally dedicated to the handicraft of the Ore Mountains.

  • 2018

    Jubilee in World Cultural Heritage

    The 50th Christmas Market of craftsmen in Lübeck takes place from first to second advent in the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital in the historic vault. We exhibit the 25th time.

  • 2017

    Symphony for the senses

    Already for the third time, we created an Advent calendar together with the Trakehnerhof – it includes our handmade tiny figures as well as delicious chocolates from their chocolatier.

  • 2016

    Christmas Exhibition

    Björn Köhler gets the opportunity to exhibit at the annual Christmas Exhibition in the old cooper factory in Marienberg. You can see the regular figures, individual items as well as Köhlers drawings and paintings from November until January.

  • 2015

    Shop in Seiffen

    Since 2015, you can find us also in Seiffen the whole year round. In our shop in Haupstraße 52 you can see and buy the whole assortment of Köhler Kunsthandwerk.

  • 2014

    Birthday present

    On the first day of January 2014, the company celebrates its 25-year anniversary. For this reason, Björn Köhler designed several figures with apparent reference to the birthday of the manufactory. They get honoured by the readership of the “Freie Presse” with the audience award. What a lovely birthday present!

  • 2013

    Ambassador of the Erz Mountains

    District Administrator Frank Vogel appoints Björn Köhler to the ambassador of the Erz Mountains. This honour appreciates his efforts to maintain and enhance good handicraft tradition. The good reputation of the region is carried out far over its boundaries through the uniqueness of the products.

  • 2012

    Public's favourite

    Björn Köhler wins an audience prize from the daily paper “Freie Presse” in the competition “Tradition und Form” for his figure “Schlingel” (which means “scallywag”). The figure is a mascot and trophy of the same-named international film festival for children and adolescents. A smaller version of the “Schlingel” complements our assortment in a limited edition.

  • 2010

    International award

    Björn Köhler takes the third place in a competition of the Europe work group of turners under the topic "contrasts".

  • 2009

    Jubilance in anniversary year

    Our manufactory celebrates its 20th anniversary. The new Santa band firstly appears in spotlight and gets honoured with a special award of the competition "Tradition und Form".

  • 2008

    New appearance

    In close cooperation with our longstanding partner Ralf Brenner, an independent appearance was created. The logo presents itself with the characteristic red nose, the secret emblem of our manufactory. A new catalogue firstly appears in a quadratic format and receives huge appreciation.

  • 2007

    Checkmate

    The in 2007 by Björn Köhler developed chess set wins one of the main prizes of the competition “Tradition und Form”. Both powerful and delicate at the same time, it shows that Björn Köhler again and again finds new ways of expressions with the material wood.

  • 2005

    Childish inspiration

    Peggy's and Björn's daughter Lotta Emilia is born. The own children and their playmates are an effervescent inspirational source for a new collection of figures: the little Well-Wishers come into being and enlargen the all-season assortment of Köhler Kunsthandwerk.

  • 2004

    Honoured winners

    Our Santas and the matching sortiment of trees and animals win the main prize “Tradition und Form”. Especially the great quality, innovation and humour of the figures are standing out. On the occasion of his training to a designer in trade, Björn Köhler participated at the exhibition “UNIKATE” in the castle “Wasserschloss Klaffenbach”.

  • 2003

    Spatial expansion

    Through lucky circumstances, we had the chance to buy the nearby plot of land. In 2003, we started to redesign the area completely. The courtyard as it exists today was build. Our trainee Rico Schubert gets honoured as the best German turner trainee.

  • 2002

    Traditional handicraft

    The manufactory participates at the "day of traditional trade" for the first time. On that day, we open our doors to curious visitors. It began small and became a huge event with an unique atmosphere, insights into the handicraft, joyful music and culinary experiences.

  • 2001

    Little Green Men

    The category "Little Green Men" and "Eggheads" win the prize "Tradition and Form" Especially the reduction of shape and colour, the humoristic design and the character, which is not depending on a season, are honoured. A new group of young people shows increasing interest.

  • 2000

    Turned birds

    The symposium of turners throughout Germany takes place in 2000 in Olbernhau. A lot of products are presented. Björn Köhler wins a prize for his "turned birds". Peggy's and Björn's son Karl Louis is born.

  • 1999

    Export hit

    An important order of a well-known shop in the USA demands a lot of work. After visiting a fair, a purchaser ordered a higher number of our originals. We had little time to produce them, but our highly motivated team mastered the challenge with brilliance.

  • 1998

    Creative home

    Since many years, the small workshop is bursting at the seams. In 1998, new room for 12 employees was made. On the outside traditional and long-established and on the inside one could find modern machines, friendly rooms and a beautiful glance on the landscape. New creative ideas and high quality goods are created.

  • 1997

    Lübeck tradition

    For the first time, we can display our products in the huge hall of the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital in Lübeck. Since 1997, we present our products every year to a big audience mostly from North Germany. Thus, some of our cribs found their way from Lübeck to Denmark and Sweden.

  • 1996

    Addition to the family

    The first daughter of Björn and Peggy, Paula, is born. This happy event inspires to new ideas regarding his figures. In the advent, Björn Köhler attends at a lot of Christmas markets in Wolfsburg, Hamburg, Wolfenbüttel, Itzehoe and Solingen.

  • 1995

    Important award

    The competition "tradition and form" firstly takes place. With his crib, Björn Köhler wins a main prize. The figures get honoured because of their quality of connection between tradition and modernity and the very natural way of working with wood.

  • 1994

    Personnel increase

    Björn Köhler can employ another turner. Shortly afterwards, the first apprentice Claire Beyer followed who is still employed today. In the following years, Björn Köhler trained constantly trainees in the handicraft.

  • 1993

    International Tradefair

    Björn Köhler participated at the renowned trade “Ambiente” in Frankfurt. The order books were filled because the products attracted interest. Björn’s wife Peggy Köhler undertakes tasks in the manufactory – in addition to her job as a nurse.

  • 1992

    On the Road

    In 1992, the marketing in other parts of Germany began. First journeys with the Trabant lead to Hessen, Bayern and Baden-Württemberg, later also in the North. When everything was sold, the journey went back to the workshop. The first red-nosed Santas were created and developed as cult figures to a signature feature of our company.

  • 1991

    Beautiful and hard at the same time

    Björn Köhler did at first all the work by himself. Despite the extreme workload, he experimented intensively with the material wood and discovered all the possibilities of his handicraft. A new design in traditional wood working was created.

  • 1990

    New challenges

    In autumn 1989 everything changed. Björn Köhler was one of the first doing community service in the DDR. On the first day of July 1990, he took up his self-employment again after the currency reform. The first professional product photos were made - and cost about 3 monthly incomes.

  • 1989

    Brave beginning

    First step into self-employment with a workshop for wood design and turning. First equipment: home-made turning lathe, saw and sanding machine in combination with new, innovative ideas and a strong will to go own ways in a traditional handicraft.