Arranging Displays

Where are you going to display your nutcrackers? Size is important, as many people are finding that as nutcrackers get bigger and bigger the shelves in their display cases seem to get smaller and smaller! Both Steinbach and Ulbricht make shorter series, and many of the Erzgebirge have smaller nutcrackers from 7 1/2 inches. The mini series of Steinbach and Ulbricht are about 5 inches. When the display cases are filled, shelves can be mounted on the walls. We used just shelf standards and brackets with painted boards to make a very attractive wall of nutcrackers that looked as if the wall was papered with nutcracker print!
    Cloth trims also can affect your decisions. Many makers are now using more and more cloth. Remember this can gather dust, fade, or be susceptible to moths, etc. You can get very attractive nutcrackers in every line that do not have cloth trims.
    Are you going to leave your nutcrackers out all year? If you bring them out only at the Christmas season, where are you going to store them? They need to be in a dry place as moisture can cause the paint to peel, and differences in hot and cold can cause the glue joints to come apart. Remember, though, every collector needs to have a bottle of wood glue handy, as pieces often need to be re-glued.
    Do you want nutcrackers just for the Christmas holidays, or do you want to decorate for other holidays as well? Ulbricht’s KING OF HEARTS (sidebar) is marvelous for Valentines Day.
     Steinbach has a wonderful Irish ST. PATRICK in both full size and chubby. Then there are presidents, UNCLE SAM, SCHOOL TEACHER, PUMPKIN MAN for Halloween, etc. etc. And you can imagine all those designs that you could find for Labor Day! And the COCA COLA COLLECTOR (sidebar) would be wonderful for teenage parties.