Nutcracker collection adds to holiday spirit
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
For many people, visions of Christmas include many of the images made famous in Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” ballet — garland and trees … bright lights and candy canes … sugarplum fairies and nutcrackers neatly disguised as toy soldiers. The ballet’s nutcracker soldiers have become traditional holiday staples in displays around the world.
The Lipscomb community recently had a unique opportunity to see a sampling of some of the most unique nutcrackers in existence, some designed as the traditional toy soldiers and many from all over the world designed in completely different ways, at Clearview, home of President and Mrs. Lowry, as part of a special exhibit in place during the holiday season.
On display were 62 nutcrackers and nutcracker devices from the collection of Arlene Wagner, affectionately known as “The Nutcracker Lady,” which are now a part of the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum located in Leavenworth, Wash. The Wagners’ collection is the largest known collection of nutcracking devices in the world
Wagner said her fascination with nutcrackers began more than four decades ago when she was artistic director for a small ballet company in Renton, Wash., that produced “The Nutcracker” ballet each year.
“Like Clara in the story,” Wagner recalls, “I became entranced with the toothy, wooden nutcracker. My husband, George, also became fascinated with the toy soldier nutcrackers and together we started collecting them.”
Their interest in nutcrackers soon grew beyond the toy soldier variety when they discovered at an antique show carved figural nutcrackers from Switzerland, intricate brass ones from England and silver-plated ones from the United States.
“Of course, we were familiar with the kitchen tool in the drawer at home, but we had no idea that such wondrous specimens existed. We were hooked,” she recalls. “My husband and I made many trips to Europe hunting nutcrackers. I continued this tradition after he passed away in 2011.”
For more than four decades the couple accumulated a collection that today totals around 7,000 items. Wagner said the nutcrackers have come from their excursions to Europe, from antique dealers and from individuals who have donated them.
As the Wagners’ collection grew, they became eager to share it with the public. So they founded the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum by donating their entire collection of nutcrackers and the building that houses it.
Wagner has earned the “Nutcracker Lady” moniker because of her deep knowledge of nutcracker varieties as well as the history of the device, which traces its roots to Germany where, according to folklore, they were given as keepsakes to bring good luck and to protect one’s home. She has been interviewed on the Food Network, A&E, CBS’ “Sunday Morning” and on the Conan O’Brien Show and numerous articles have featured the collection through the years. Travelling displays of the Wagner nutcracker collection have been on exhibit in Chicago, Minneapolis, Hong Kong, Shanghai and many other cities around the world.
The collection of nutcrackers that were on display at Clearview during the holidays included devices made of a variety of substances including iron, brass, porcelain and ivory among other materials. It featured two pieces from the 1600s and devices from countries such as Germany, England, Spain, Switzerland, France and Russia.