Ceramic Statue of Gubben Rosenbom

This is a ceramic statue of Rosenbom which is based on the popular wooden figure of Gubben Rosenbom (Old Man Rosenbom) that has been outside the Admirality Church Ulrica Pia or “Amiralitetskyrkan” (a navy church) in Karlskrona in southeast Sweden since 1750. (Karlskrona is a Navy town where submarines are made.) In 1956, the original wooden statue was replaced by a copy and put in a safer place inside the church.

The wooden life-size figure of a gray-haired man in the uniform of a sailor is a poor box (collecting alms for the poor) in Sweden. If you lift the hat of the figure, you can insert coins for the poor in his head.

The ceramic and wooden statues both hold a placard which states in Old Swedish:

I humbly beg of you,

even though my voice may be weak,

come and put a penny in

but first lift my hat.

Blessed are those that care for the poor.

Psalms 41:2

The last sentence on the placard is from the Bible. Although it says it is from Psalms 41:2, it is actually Psalms 41:1.

More information about Rosenbom can be found here: https://www.guidebook-sweden.com/en/guidebook/destination/rosenbom-historical-wooden-sculpture-in-karlskrona