Robin Christmas Bauble

This robin Christmas bauble is made from papier mâché in Kashmir and painted by hand with a robin, its orange breast bright against a soft woodland background. At about 3.5cm across, it is one of the smallest baubles on our shelves, which makes it lovely for a little tabletop tree or for filling the gaps on a big one.

Robins have been part of a British Christmas since the Victorian period, when postmen in red coats were nicknamed robins and the Christmas cards they delivered began to picture the bird itself. Painting a bird this detailed on so small a ball takes a steady hand, and as each one is painted individually, the robin's pose and the woodland around it vary slightly between baubles.

The papier mâché is shaped from paper pulp and dried hard before painting, a craft practised in Kashmir since artisans from Persia brought it there in the fifteenth century. We buy these from a fair trade importer that is a Guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organization.

How to Care for Your Robin Bauble

Keep the bauble dry and dust it with a soft brush, since the paper beneath the paint softens with moisture. 

• Material: hand-painted papier mâché
• Size: approx. 3.5cm diameter
• Made in: Kashmir, India