Werner Reifentiere

The Last Guardians of a Craft That Turns Wood into Wonder

Werner Reifentiere is one of the last workshops in the world to preserve the nearly lost art of Reifendrehen, a centuries-old technique where spinning wooden rings are hand-carved into animal shapes, then sliced into dozens of miniature figures. What began as a clever way to repurpose mining tools when the Ore Mountains ran out of ore has become a symbol of resilience, ingenuity, and quiet resistance to mass production.

“Reifendrehen is a unique craft, mastered by only about six people worldwide.”

Christian Werner’s love of woodworking began early. His father, Walter K. Werner, himself ran a wood art business. But it wasn’t just carving that aroused his interest – it was above all the turning of tires.

“By the mid-1970s, the craft was only practiced in museums. That’s where I learned it.” 

After years of training with master tire lathe operator Paul Preißler and personal development, Christian Werner founded the Werner Reifentiere Manufactory in 1985, which has been run as a family business ever since bringing Reifendrehen back from near extinction. 

The workshop now employs eight people, each an expert in their field. Christian develops the designs, his son Andreas turns and carves the wooden rings, and the rest of the team carefully assembles, paints, and varnishes every figure by hand.

The Hidden Life Inside Every Ring of Wood

Every Werner Reifentiere figure begins with wood, close-grained fresh spruce sourced from the steep northern slopes of the Austrian Alps. Christian Werner and his team select only the highest-quality logs for carving small, detailed shapes. 

Once inside the workshop, the air is thick with the scent of spruce and sawdust. A block of wood is placed on the lathe and set in motion, spinning steadily as Christian Werner shapes it by hand with chisels and blades. Slowly, a ring takes form, curved, notched, and grooved in ways that hint at the creatures hidden within.

At first, the wooden rings seem simple, even ordinary. But when small slices are split off with a knife and hammer, something extraordinary happens: tiny animals begin to emerge. Each blank is then reworked with a carving knife, refined with details like tails and ears, and finally hand-painted to reveal its character.

Durability is built into every step. “Our products are extremely durable thanks to the good connection between the various parts,” says Werner. “No joint is simply butt-glued, but always with tongue and groove or dowels.” From the first turn of the lathe to the final coat of paint, each animal is entirely handmade.

And then, there’s the moment that never loses its wonder. 

“An outsider can only recognise the figure when we split it from the ring. This creates a special surprise effect.” 

To watch a deer or rabbit appear from what moments earlier was only a circle of wood is to witness something quietly magical – proof that even in a mechanised world, beauty can still be born from human hands.

How Faith and Folk Art Shape Design That Outlasts Trends

Christian Werner’s idea of timeless design began at home. “It’s important for me to have a solid foundation in faith and family,” he says. “It’s about consistency, perseverance, and values that outlast me. This also influences my products.”

“It’s not about trends, but about creating values that last for decades.”

His father, Walter Werner, a master toymaker and devoted student of Erzgebirge folk art taught him that form must outlive fashion. “My father always told me that we had to be very good. Good isn’t enough,” Christian recalls. That pursuit of excellence and respect for traditional forms continues to guide his work today.

His first design, Noah’s Ark, perfectly embodied those values. “Since tire turning is primarily for crafting animal figures, it proved to be a good theme,” he explains. “I am also a devout Christian and wanted to depict a biblical theme. It was still the GDR era, which was very hostile to religion and so my product proposal was initially rejected. I was supposed to build a farm, but I turned it down. Since there was no one else besides me to bring tire-turning back into the economy, it had to be approved after all.”

The same quiet conviction defines his later work, like the pyramid chandeliers, where candlelight and motion turn a room into a magic play of shadows during Christmas.

His designs endure not because they follow style, but because they reflect the things he believes never go out of style: faith, family, and care in every detail.

From Father to Son, Keeping the Magic Alive

After four decades at the lathe, Christian Werner is preparing to hand the tools to his son Andreas, ensuring that Reifendrehen, once nearly extinct, continues not in museums, but in living hands. What began as one man’s revival has become a family’s lifelong mission to preserve a piece of Seiffen’s soul.

For Christian, this craft is more than work; it’s a philosophy of life. 

“It’s important to teach our children that their hands aren’t just for operating screens.” 

“Rapid consumption also weakens us as humans in our creativity, our perseverance, and our personal development in general. Thus at some point, we as a society will no longer be competitive.”

To own one is to hold that magic: a story of faith, care, and belonging, proof that even in an age of speed, true craftsmanship still invites us to slow down and feel wonder again.