Kunshtyuki - antique trinkets with a secret that cause delight (13 photos)

At all times, craftsmen created items with secrets, striking in their fine workmanship and complex design. The first such items were the well-known nesting dolls. But over time, there was a demand for exquisite and unusual things that could decorate the lives of aristocrats. Thus, in the middle of the 19th century, kunsttuki came into fashion - miniature masterpieces that had no practical value, but delighted with their design and precise work.







It is difficult to surprise a modern person with anything. Even mechanical coins created with jewelry precision do not impress everyone. But in the 19th century, everything was different, and many of the masters' creations seemed like a real miracle to people. Souvenirs with a secret, which were called tricks, were an expensive pleasure. The name of these masterpieces comes from the German word Kunststück, which means "focus", "trick". They became objects of pride for their owners, which they showed to guests.

The first kunstücks appeared in Europe in the 18th century. In the Russian Empire, few could afford such trinkets, and they only found their way into the homes of the nobility as curiosities brought as gifts from abroad. But in the mid-19th century, the Austrian sculptor and foundryman Franz Bergmann changed everything. In 1860, he founded a factory in Vienna, which began mass-producing tricks for every taste.



Franz Bergman, a man of great talent and incredible diligence, created masterpieces, and the factory produced them in series. These were figurines with funny animalistic and genre scenes, as well as oriental motifs that were popular at the time. It cannot be said that the work was put on stream. Bergman took each product of his factory seriously and the execution was always impeccable.



Erotic tricks became a special category of products. In the 19th century, society was biased towards such works. Therefore, Bergman did not sign all his 18+ masterpieces with his full name. They were marked with the letter "B" or the anagram "Nam Greb" (his last name written backwards).



Outwardly, erotic tricks looked completely innocent. But when a hidden button or lever was pressed, a naked beauty appeared before the surprised viewer. Most often, Franz Bergman created naked girls hidden inside figurines of animals, plants or Egyptian sphinxes.



The Bergman factory existed until the mid-1890s. Then, due to the economic crisis that engulfed Europe, the enterprise closed. But in 1900, the master's son, Xavier Bergman, revived his father's business, and the company successfully operated until 1930.

Nowadays, the tricks created by Bergman and other masters in the century before last have become collectibles. They are sold at auctions, and the price for individual copies is in the tens of thousands of dollars.