OUR COLLECTION — ASIA — MONGOLIA 534. BATMUNKH'S UNSTAINED NATIVITY
We commissioned and sold Nativity sets for several years from our Mongolian friend Batmunkh, who is a professional carver in Ulaanbaatar. His name means strong (bat) eternal (munkh). Mongolians do not use last names. Batmunkh is a Christian in Mongolia. This particular set is significant because it was the prototype set for all future sets that Batmunkh sent us to sell. The wood is a light soft wood like pine that they call black wood in Mongolia. This prototype set is unstained, whereas all future sets from Batmunkh were stained reddish brown.
This original set includes the following 15 pieces: Joseph standing with open hands next to a kneeling Mary with a single braid of hair. Baby Jesus is wrapped up tight like all Mongolian babies. The shepherd with staff stands next to a horse and a yak; his boots have upturned toes to keep the dust off the topside of his boots. The sweetest little Mongolian boy is hugging a lamb and watching over another sheep. Three standing wise men are joined by a sitting camel. The set is completed with a stable, star, and a Mongolian angel. Most standing figures are between 4.5 and 5 inches tall. The stable is 7 inches tall (not including star).
This original set includes the following 15 pieces: Joseph standing with open hands next to a kneeling Mary with a single braid of hair. Baby Jesus is wrapped up tight like all Mongolian babies. The shepherd with staff stands next to a horse and a yak; his boots have upturned toes to keep the dust off the topside of his boots. The sweetest little Mongolian boy is hugging a lamb and watching over another sheep. Three standing wise men are joined by a sitting camel. The set is completed with a stable, star, and a Mongolian angel. Most standing figures are between 4.5 and 5 inches tall. The stable is 7 inches tall (not including star).