Like Clara in the ballet, Arlene became enamored with the little wooden men with the big teeth! After over twenty-five years of collecting, she and her husband George, have amassed one of the world’s largest collections with over 3,500 pieces in their museum, both contemporary and antique. Arlene told us that, "Of special interest are the porcelain and silver nutcrackers, which matched the exquisite table settings of the Victorian era when fruit and nuts were served at the end of the meal." This explains the expression "from soup to nuts." There are also a number of porcelain nutcrackers from the same period, and several walking sticks with working nutcrackers carved on the top from the days when it was fashionable for men to carry canes.

As owner of the largest nutcracker museum in the United States, Arlene is continually scouting out unusual nutcrackers with a history for the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. Arlene notes,

"The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum exhibits many carved wooden figural nutcrackers in the forms of birds, animals and human figures from Switzerland, France, Germany, England and Tyrolean northern Italy some dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Beautiful non-figural wooden nutcrackers are seen in both lever and screw types, many with very intricate designs. The museum also shows some vary rare nutcrackers carved from bone and ivory. While the emphasis is on the antique nutcrackers, the museum also displays the nutcrackers of the current makers. The largest producer today of the wooden toy nutcrackers is Christian Steinbach of Germany. His colorful, elaborate designs attract many collectors who come to the museum to see the most complete Steinbach collection."

Collector Donna Adams of Connecticut started her collection over twenty years ago with one nutcracker that she discovered while shopping with her sister. "I don’t know what made me buy it but once I had one I wanted more!" Donna told us. Today, she proudly displays historic figures, such as Beethoven and Napoleon, an honor guard of Confederate and Union soldiers and Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Even Humpty Dumpty appears magically transformed into a nutcracker!

Donna likes to integrate her collections –– which include Steinbach and Ulbricht figures –– into her decorating schemes. Many of her nutcrackers are in lighted display cases. Others are artfully arranged throughout her home on open shelves or tables. "It’s hard to find a collection that has so many levels of interest," says Donna. "They are colorful, provide fascinating glimpses into the past and most can actually be used to open nuts!"

We are certain that if Tchaikovsky were alive today he would add his voice to the mighty chorus of bravas for Arlene and Donna.

Mary Dessoie covers a variety of topics in the field of antiques and collectibles. She founded the Butter Pat Patter Association in 1997 for beginner and advanced collectors of exquisite china butter pats from the Victorian through Edwardian eras and 19^th-century to current-day transportation and restaurant ware pats. Butter pats are miniature plates that were introduced during the mid-1800's for individual servings of butter. A subscription to The Patter newsletter costs $22 and includes a mint-condition Royal Doulton butter pat. Royal Doulton located in the Staffordshire area of England is known throughout the world as one of the leading manufacturers of fine china. In addition, subscribers will receive ten issues of The Patter. Sample copies of The Patter are available by sending $4.00 and a LSSAE (60 cents). For those persons who would like to start their subscriptions immediately and receive their Royal Doulton pat by return mail, please send your check or money order, payable to Mary Dessoie, to Butter Pat Patter Association, 265 Eagle Bend Drive, Bigfork, Montana 59911-6235.