To anyone who has an ordinary nutcracker lying in the back of a drawer, the aptly named book, The Art & Character of Nutcrackers will come as a revelation. With page after page of nutcrackers, each a surprise, this book is a journey into our human imagination as well as a glimpse at our wit and sense of humor. This is a book for the coffee table, one that guarantees smiles and amusement. Though our favorite nutcrackers -those wooden soldiers- are well represented, there is a surprising world of nutcrackers to discover.
The author, Arlene Wagner, became entranced with nutcrackers when she worked with a ballet company. She and her husband began a collection, gathering nutcrackers as they traveled around the world. As their collection grew, the couple met with artisans, and explored remote mountainous regions in pursuit of nutcrackers. They finally amassed 5,000 nutcrackers. To share their collection, they founded the Leavenworth Museum, a National Heritage Foundation. For those of us who are far from the museum, they have created this rich book.
Beginning with rustic wooden nutcrackers, the book traces the development of this not-so-ordinary tool from its origin as a simple wooden lever to 'screw' nutcrackers of wood, then of metal, on to those of ivory and porcelain. It includes the boxed sets, beloved by the Victorians, that contain silver picks for elegant removal of nutmeats from their shells. Though designed as a utility, the nutcracker became a unique expression of the carver's personality and wit. Most represent faces with mouth agape, ready to embark on the risky adventure of cracking nuts with the teeth, but the animal and avian worlds are well represented. (Birds with nut-hungry beaks are apt!) Wagner explains that many nutcrackers were carved as figures of authority, adding that the people took great delight in putting monks and lords to work for them by cracking nuts.
There are nutcrackers that are as graceful as ballerinas. There are finely carved works, their details reflecting a slower pace of life. There are nutcrackers that will make you laugh or make you stand back in admiration of craftsmanship. There are ingenious nutcrackers, some resembling vises, some with silver-plated hammers. And there are our favorite nutcrackers - the wooden soldiers. Wagner traces the development of this form to the mountainous regions of Germany and tells us, "Since these nutcrackers were actually used in the homes to crack nuts and serve as toys for the children, they would soon show the damage of continued use. Most gave way to the fire for added warmth, and a new nutcracker was made for the family."
Since one picture is worth a thousand words, we asked Collectors Press is we could show a few samples. Though we have taken but a few pictures from the wide variety in the book, we hope you will read the article that accompanies this review. Then rush to get a copy to make your own nutcracker suite for the holiday. This book is a joy and a treasure.
click for a preview of a nutcracker suite
About the author: Arlene Wagner taught dance for over forty years - owning her own studio and serving as artistic director of Ballet Les Jeunes in Renton. Arlene's interest in nutcrackers began when she purchased a few for the dance studio. Arlene and the museum have appeared on Unwrapped, the Food Network's popular program, in a segment focusing on nuts. She is internationally recognized as an authority in nutcracker craft, and currently serves as president of Ms. Arlene Inc., which operated the Nusskracker Haus and Tannenbaum Shoppe in Leavenworth, Washington.
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