Early 20th Century Butcher’s Pig

This little piggy went to market and sat in the window of the butcher’s shop when he was out of town. This very fun shop fixture is from Germany and dates to the early 20th century. Made of paper maché, this unamused looking pig stood in for real cuts of meat when the butcher was out of the shop, serving the dual purpose of letting customers know the shop keep was away, while providing a visual for actual cuts of meat that would otherwise spoil in the shop window.