Feeney's Nutcracker

FEENEY’S NUTCRACKER

There are many legends associated with the origin of the brightly painted German nutcracker figures. According to folklore, nutcrackers were originally given as keepsakes to bring good luck, protecting the home from evil spirits and danger. The tale of “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” written by E. T. Amadeus Hoffman sometime between 1776 and 1822, helped to popularize the figures. Until a few years ago, this handsome nutcracker stood guard over the nutcracker section of Feeney’s Nursery in Feasterville, Pennsylvania. Thousands of children have posed with this nutcracker for photographs and pulled the handle on his back to open his mouth. The scuffs and scratches on his paint attest to this, and have become part of his story.

On loan from the Ed and Kirsten Gyllenhaal family.