The nutcracker occurs as device for cracking nuts. It works on the principle of moments derived from Archimedes' discovery of the lever.

Nutcrackers when wood carvings of the soldier, knight, king, or more profession use at times been known since at least a 15th century. These nutcrackers come carvings of the human using the large mouth that is opened by pressing the lever in the back of the figurine. Originally of these can insert a nut in the large-toothed mouth, depress & thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers therein style come mostly for decoration.

A carving of nutcrackers besides when religious numbers & cribs developed as a cottage industry around forested rural areas of Germany. A best known nutcracker carvings came from either Sonneberg, Thuringia, also the center of doll making, and from either a Ore Mountains. Wood carving was commlone a only income for the humans dwelling there. Now their income is supplemented per travel industry bringing visitant to the remote areas.

Nutcrackers use turn into popular in the United States as well and the recreated "Bavarian village" of Leavenworth, Washington even features a Nutcracker Museum. Numbers of more materials were utilized for the adorned nutcrackers, like porcelain, silver, and brass, and may be seen at a museum.

Carvings by far-famed list prefer Jungbanel, Mertens, Karl, Kolbe, Petersen, Ulbricht & especially a Steinbach nutcrackers stand turn into collectors' things.