Nutcracker Figures: 30 Second History!

Nutcrackers have been around for centuries (we graduated from smashing nuts with rocks to using wood or metal implements eventually). So how did these implements for cracking nuts morph into the nutcracker figures you see today?

Credit German toy makers for turning nutcrackers into the familiar toy soldiers. By the 1870’s, German nutcrackers were sold all over Europe. 

Tchaikovsky’s Russian ballet “Nutcracker and The Mouse King” further added to the nutcracker figure craze, when it was first performed in 1892. After World War II, the play became a staple in North America and spurred more nutcracker figure collecting. 

We asked our parent readers who collect nutcrackers for their favorites. We then did research to compare overall quality and detailing. Here are several of the best bets:

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