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The Soldier Bear Nutcrackers are 15 inches tall. He is an adorable brown stuffed bear with a wooden Nutcracker body. The Soldier Bear Nutcrackers are wearing a tall fur guardsman hat with a gold chain that comes down under his chin. His coat is red with gold, white and black on the front, gold epaulettes, white belt and black and gold cuffs. His trousers and boots are black. The Soldier Bear has his rifle resting on his right shoulder. Select this link to view our Christmas Nutcracker Village People.
Where do Teddy Bears Come From?
Teddy bears are stuffed toy bears and are an enduring, traditional form of stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children but some have become expensive collector's items. Select this link to view our Fisherman Nutcrackers.
The "fur" which these charming creatures are made of is as varied and interesting as the bears themselves. Mohair is the fur shorn or combed from a breed of long haired goats which is woven into cloth, dyed and trimmed to produce a fascinating choice for any artist's palette. Alpaca teddy bears are made from the pelt of an alpaca because the fiber is too soft to weave. In addition to mohair and alpaca, there are huge selections of "plush" or synthetic fur made for the teddy bear market which are commercially produced. Select this link to view our Palace Guard Nutcracker.
Some teddy bear artists specialize in the production of bears made from recycled materials. These artists haunt thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and trash collection centers as well as their own and their families' basements and attics in search of forgotten treasures to be turned into a collector's dream. Old quilts, dresses, fur collars, coats and stoles as well as beaded bags and garments are quickly transformed into stunning teddy bears. Select this link to view our Large Half Nutcracker.
The Story of The Nutcracker
The combination of a useful tool and a figural form with a human appearance was well accepted by the mid 18th century. In the toy making center of Sonneberg, in the Thuringian Forest, there was mention in 1735 of nut biters that operated according to the principles of leverage. These nut biters were described as sturdy, energetic forms with large heads. Two moving arms on the back of the head allowed the lower jaw to push the nut against the upper jaw. In a carnival parade in 1783, students from Freisingen, Germany presented large models of Berchtesgaden wares, including a nut biter in the form of a little man whose mouth and stomach were one and the same. Select this link to view our Life Size Large Toy Soldier.
The literary career of the nutcracker began with the 1816 publication of E.T.A. Hoffmann's fairy tale Nussknacker und Mausekönig, a children's book that helped bring the nutcracker into broader popularity. In the spirit of a time when the importance of the family and children was beginning to be emphasized, Hoffmann vividly depicted a sympathetic soul, Under the Christmas tree a very excellent little man became visible that stood there still and modest. He waited as if they would all come to him. The job of the nutcracker was to work hard for the children of the family by biting open the nuts. Select this link to view our Life Size Toy Soldier.