Alex Gilbert Ceramic Bird Whistle (Peckvillchen). Made in Luxembourg

The "Peckvillchen" is a traditional ceramic bird (whistle) sold on the Luxembourg market called "Eimaischen" on Easter Monday.
The origins of Éimaischen, as a pottery market in Luxembourg City, go back to at least the 19th century.

For a long time now, Easter Monday has been the day of celebration for potters. The first written record of Éimaischen dates back to 3 April 1827, when the St Michael's Church market was moved to the Place du Marché-aux-Poissons.

Since 1957, the festival has also been celebrated in Nospelt.The small town is closed off to all motorised traffic, and thousands of people flock to its streets, mostly to get their hands on a Péckvillchen or two.In fact, that's what the Emaischen is best known for. The clay bird whistles, typical of the country, mimic the sound of cuckoo cries.The first Luxembourg Péckvillchen dates back to the 14th century.

One potter, Alex Gilbert has created models inspired by one of the most colourful birds of the region, the Bee Eater (or in Luxembourgish "Beiefresser") a species making a come back after dwindling numbers in the past.The Péckvillchen about takes seven hours of baking at temperatures up to 1245 °C. In total it takes between 8 and 12 hours of work.