Antique Turned-Fruitwood Screw Nutcracker

Originating in rural European folk-art traditions (often crafted by artisans in the alpine regions of France and Switzerland), wooden screw-style nutcrackers represent a masterpiece of rustic mechanical engineering.

To use it, a walnut or hazelnut was placed inside the deep hollow bowl, and the user turned the ribbed screw handle. As the screw threaded deeper into the chamber, it applied immense, gradual mechanical pressure to cleanly fracture the hard shell without crushing the delicate kernel inside. 

4.5" x 2.5" x 2.5"