Three Swedish 'Dala' Horses, carved wood, late 20th century

The Dala horse has been present among us for many hundreds of years, but it wasn't until the 1939 World's Fair in New York that it became internationally famous and established itself as a well-known symbol for Sweden.
Few objects have found as ingrained a place in Swedish homes as the Dala horse. Today, it represents Sweden as strongly as the Midsummer celebration and meatballs do. Throughout history, humans have always depicted the horse. The majestic creature has adorned everything from cave walls to city crests. But how did the story of the horse that is now so deeply rooted in Swedish folklore begin? It is believed that the predecessor to today's Dala horse began to be carved in Dalarna in the 1600s, as a toy for the youngest members of the family. Very few of these horses have survived as they were often thrown into the fire when worn out. Over time, the horses began to be sold by traveling peddlers from Dalarna who journeyed around the country; they were sometimes even used as a form of currency.