Santa Claus Cast Iron Nutcracker, circa 1880s VERY SCARCE

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Santa Claus Cast Iron Nutcracker, circa 1880s VERY SCARCE:
$1985.00

’s AI Description
This Santa Claus Cast Iron Nutcracker is a rare find for collectors and enthusiasts alike. With its detailed casting and chocolate brown color, this nutcracker is sure to add a touch of folk lore to any Christmas decor. Measuring at 7 and 1/4 inches in height and 2 inches in width, it is the perfect size for displaying on a shelf or tabletop.This original nutcracker from the 1880s is a true antique and comes from England. It features a mouth that opens to crack nuts and a hat with a loop for hanging. The nutcracker is made of copper plated cast iron and very few exist in collections! Perfect for the holiday and seasonal category, this nutcracker is a must-have for any collector of Christmas decor.

My comment

That’s certainly accurate! But it hardly captures why I have this RARE nutcracker for sale!

Daphne Gie bequeathed it to us!

Daphne was a “proper” English private-school teacher who collected “nut crackers”.

Daphne taught art to 9 and 10 year olds - and didn’t love children. She loved Afghan Hounds.

I met Daphne, who was a generation older than me, through my interest in Afghan Hounds.

She literally wrote the book on Afghans!

We exchanged visits, shared dog shows; my husband helped her husband build a kennel shed in England, and then we helped them buy a home in Australia,

When Daphne died she left her nutcracker collection - and her house in Australia to me and my husband.

As I approach the task of finding homes for the things I collected (e.g. antique maps, 18th C glass and silver, and pewter ice cream molds), I realize that I need to find homes for her treasures too: Move them on to the next generation to be held, and appreciated.

I started with the “naked lady” and moved on to the “dog” - even if it isn’t an afghan!

And now I’m here: at the BEST NUTCRACKER in her collection.

There is one just like it for sale in England NOW:

"This copper-plated cast iron Santa Claus nutcracker was manufactured in England, circa 1880s. It pivots on an iron pin. The face is very finely cast detailing Santa's beard and facial characteristics. When open Santa's mouth opens wide ready to smash a nut. It is a very hard item to acquire and is a cross collectible fitting into both Santa Clause and nutcracker collections; a very unique item. It is in excellent all original condition no repairs or restoration. A little loop on his cap makes hanging display possible. Only a few are extant making it very sought after by collectors. Dimensions: 7 1/4" high x 2" wide x 2" deep."

Daphne bought this as an adult and carried it to Australia when she emigrated. I brought it to America after attending Daphne’s wake.

So, NOW you can acquire this with truly minimal S&H.

I am NOT selling to raise $$ for my retirement. {That does NOT MEAN I do not know what these things are worth - so please do not insult Daphne’s memory with lowball offers. We need to (a) find respectful homes for these little items, and (b) raise nearly $80,000 a year to provide mortgage support for four breadwinners (1) who used to work for us before we retired, (2) who lost income when covid happened and (3) are having trouble getting work now.}

So, if this stunningly rare Christmas (Santa) nutcracker, strikes you as something you and your family might appreciate, make a serious offer and

(1) get it before the Christmas premium rises and

(2) helpBD, GD, BR & LT keep their homes.

Thank you for reading this.

ShowJudge