Steinbach Nutcrackers

Decorative Nutcrackers in the form of wooden carvings of a soldier, knight, king, or other profession have existed since at least the 15th century. The nutcracker portrays a person with a large mouth which the operator opens by lifting a lever in the back of the figurine. Originally one could insert a nut in the big-toothed mouth, press down and thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers in this style serve mostly for decoration, mainly at Christmas time.

The name Steinbach is recognized all over the world for the unique design of their wood carved Steinbach Nutcracker creations developed many years ago by the Steinbach Family. The tradition of creating hand-carved pieces is being continued by his daughter Karla Steinbach and granddaughter Karolin Steinbach. Karla Steinbach, Vice President of Operations, is the 6th generation to head the company. They are responsible for the product concept development, design, manufacture, and quality control at the Hohenhameln factory in the northern region of Germany.

"To create one nutcracker," says the late Herr Steinbach, "can involve up to 100+ separate procedures. At one time, the curling and natural drying of the wood could take up to 2-4 years depending upon the piece."

If you are starting a new collection or adding to your existing collection, you will love these unique masterpieces.