By the 15th century, European woodcarvers began crafting beautiful nutcrackers shaped like animals and people.

German artisans became known for their majestic nutcracker kings and soldiers.

Just like the one in Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, this German company is being crafting character nutcrackers since 1928.

Like porcelain figurines, thes Nutcrackers Cell has limited edition collectibles at hundreds of euros each.

People don't actually use them for their intended purpose.

Strange but true, but they can on do perform the job.

You simply manipulate a lever to open and then close the mouth to crack.

They're not shell on the factory floor.

They use a multi blade circular saw to cut all the body parts out of Lindenwood.

Linden is ideal because it's lightweight, easy to carve, and its color is pale enough to mimic skin.

These blocks are on their way to becoming nutcracker torsos.

First they go through a plainer.

It trims the four sides of each block, forming an octagonal shape from square toe walked agonal on next around.

But first, workers use a circular sword to cut the blocks into torso length pieces.

Conveyor feeds the pieces one by one into an automatic multi station Leif first station rounds out.

The optical, then forms the basic torso shape.

The second station finalizes the shape in the next four stations, sandalwood smooth so that the wood stain they'll apply later on will penetrate well unevenly.

Then the torsos gold three at a time into a vertical round.

It cuts a notch in each one for the lever that opens and closes the not crack his mouth.

Next stop is a drilling machine, which simultaneously drills all the holes required to attach the body parts as well as the levers.

Axl.

Now they dress the torso in a coat, which then create by simply staining the wood.

A darker color wants the stain dries.

They spray on two coats of semi gloss locker.

Every nutcracker stands on a wooden base under which they burn the company's logo.

It's a mark of authenticity for the collectors.

The automatic lave also shapes the other body parts, including the head workers attach your nose, then, using a router, cut holes for the ice.

Then they lightly spray on a touch of red paint to simulate a sun kissed nose and rosy cheeks.

Then, with a steady hand, they paint the whites of the eyes and the eyebrows.

Once the paint dries, they apply some glue to the center of each eye, then a fix, an Irish and a pupil made of enamel tin.

Now they aligned the head with the torso and screw the parts together.

After decorating the coat with buttons and a buckle, they glue a strip of rabbit fur hair to the head, a rabbit for beard to camouflage the notch for the lever.

Then they mount the torso onto the legs, which were painted on boots and stand on the base thin.

This Nutcracker percussionist gets his drum along with arms on drumsticks.

Top him off with a hat made of spray painted wood.

Most of the nutcrackers parts joined together with wooden downs.

A large down running across the notch in the torso is the axle on which the lever rotates.

There's an extensive cast of Nutcracker characters to collect.

They're acting may be a bit wooden, but their delivery has real bite on.

If you are a collector of these, I suggest you must be nuts.