Garden gnome statues as we know them today were first created in the mid-1800s by Phillip Griebel, a sculptor of terracotta animals in the town of Graefenroda in Thuringia, Germany. Gnome legends were especially popular in Germany and Griebel made his gnome statues so that people could better enjoy the myths and stories of gnomes who tended to gardens at night. These first garden gnomes were molded from terracotta clay then dried, fired in a kiln, and finally painted. Garden Gnomes soon became very popular and several companies rose up to produce them. Gnome production in Germany dropped back sharply in World War II and today almost all manufacturers of garden gnome statues are located in China and Poland. But even today Phillip Griebel’s descendants continue to produce gnomes in Germany where they are the last manufacturer carrying on the tradition there. These giant gnomes are a lovely take on Griebel's originals and we hope you'll love them standing lofty at 60.5cm with a fabulous finish, available in bright blue, green, orange or pink. Care should be taken with these items if placing outdoors as they are extremely fragile, we recommend finding a safe spot for them indoors or within a wind-free porch or summerhouse.   H60.5xW23xD21cm