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www.kidslovenutcrackers.com and
www.nutcrackerday.com
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THE
MANY WOODS USED IN MAKING NUTCRACKERS
Wood has been used to make nutcrackers since ancient times. Primitive wooden
nutcrackers were made by joining two pieces of wood together with leather
straps or a metal hinge. An
indentation would be made in the wood to hold the nut in place so it would
not roll away when pressure was applied.
Carvers were creating nutcrackers in the likeness of animals and
humans by the 15th century, and by the 18th century
the wood turners in Germany were making nutcrackers in the wooden toy
soldier shape that we see in all the shops at Christmas time. These also
served as children’s toys and it was believed they would protect the family
while the man was away at work.
WOODS FOR TURNED NUTCRACKERS
Woods for turned nutcrackers come
from deciduous trees, usually linden, but spruce, beech, lime, and birch are
also used. The rings must be
homo-genius, that is, the rings must be evenly spaced. Most trees used to
make nutcrackers are cut from land about 600 to 800 meters in elevation.
At these elevations the rings are closer together making for a better
wood to turn. In low flat land
trees grow too fast, and the wood Is not as compact.
The men harvesting wood for nutcrackers prefer trees between 80 to
150 years old and are between 15 and 20 inches in diameter.
Drying time is not counted until the wood is sawed into slices of various
thicknesses, and then it must be dried for at least 2 years.
Wood is a living raw material, and cells in a tree can live as long
as 15 years after the tree is cut down.
It is easy to dry any rain that falls on the lumber, but it is the
sap that must be dried. Wood
dried properly will not crack.
WOODS FOR CARVED NUTCRACKERS
Carvers would usually use whatever wood grew in their area, but master
carvers preferred boxwood for their intricately crafted special pieces.
Boxwood is a dense hardwood with a fine, even texture and attractive
natural luster. It is resistant
to splitting and chipping and is suitable for the smallest detailed
micro-carving. Other woods
preferred by master carvers are yew, beech, walnut, and fruitwoods. Anri
carvers use the slow growing Cembra Pine that grows high in the Alps.
Sometimes the shape of the piece of wood will inspire a carver such as the
Russian bent wood figure, the Austrian curled tree root nutcracker, or even
the dog from a wood burl made by a German carver.
Bent Wood |
Tree Root |
Wood Burl |
Going through the museum, we discovered 36 different wood specimens in the
nutcrackers on display!
Alaskan Cedar |
Alder Wood |
Ash Wood |
Australian Woods |
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Avocado Wood |
Bass Wood |
Beech Wood |
Birch Wood |
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Box Wood |
Briarwood Root |
Cembra Pine |
Cherry Wood |
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Conifer Wood |
Coquilla Nut Wood |
Deciduous Wood |
Ebony Wood |
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Fruit Wood |
Hammerwood |
Iron Wood |
Liggum Vitae |
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Lime Wood |
Linden Wood |
Maple Wood |
New Zealand Woods |
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Oak Wood |
Olive Wood |
Pear Wood |
Poplar |
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Rose Wood |
Spruce Wood |
Sycamore |
Teak Wood |
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Walnut |
White Birch |
White Oak |
Yew wood |
Arlene Wagner, The Nutcracker Lady
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Dogs that are able to be carried at all times may come into the museum.
Service animals are
always welcome.
735 Front Street
P.O. Box 2212
Leavenworth, WA 98826
(509) 548-4573
MUSEUM HOURS
11:00PM - 5:00PM Daily
We suggest visitors arrive at the museum at least 30 minutes before closing.
"To foster and encourage the interest of the general public of the importance of nuts in the diets of humans throughout history and in the evolution of the nutcracker. No other tool or collectible has shown such a wide diversity of material and design as the implements used to crack the hard shell of a nut".
Adults - $5.00 (Ages 17 - 64yrs)
Seniors - $3.50
(Age 65yrs +)
Youth - $2.00 (Ages 6 - 16yrs)
Child - FREE (Ages 0 - 5yrs)
Active
Military - FREE (Spouse & Children Free with ID)