Primitive Norwegian hand Tool - Handcarved Mangle Board - Wedding Gift for Wife To be

A beautiful unique handcarved traditional Norwegian mangle board, a workmanship. Primitive hand made from wood and decorated with matches, made in 1960s
A mangle board was used as an iron. To flat out lines in linen and clothes, combined with a roller.
Traditionally it was handcarved by a man, carve it an decorate it, and give to his wife to be.

This is most likely military art, as it was common to make match art when you were on post.

The handle is formed like a horse.

In good vintage condition.

History.
Traditionally, mangle trees were a wedding gift (engagement gift) from a man to a woman, and the man had to make it all himself. When he was finished, he presented it to his chosen one, and asked "will you accept my mangle tree?". If she accepted, it meant they were engaged, but if she didn't, it was a rejection. Should the man propose again to another woman, he could not use the same mangle tree again: He had to make a new one. There is a story about a man who had as many as seven mangle trees on his living room wall, and he was simply called "the groom", despite the fact that he never married.

The mangle tree as an engagement gift reflects gender roles and the division of labor in the old society. Woodwork was men's work, and the man had to prove that he was capable of this by making the mangle tree. Smoothing cloth, on the other hand, was women's work, and the idea was that the woman would use the mangle tree she received in the future household.

Dimensions.
13 cm high
12.5 cm wide
78.5 cm length

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