Lot 322: A vintage Erzgebirge Expertic wooden soldier nutcracker

A vintage wooden nutcracker produced in the Erzgebirge region of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The figure is depicted as a soldier in a traditional military uniform, featuring a red tunic with gold-painted frogging and epaulettes, a black shako with a gold roundel, white trousers, and black boots. The soldier is equipped with a side-mounted sword. The piece features hand-painted facial details, including a black moustache and rosy cheeks, accented with grey faux-fur hair and a matching beard. A standard wooden lever-action mechanism is located at the rear to operate the hinged jaw. The underside of the circular green base bears a diamond-shaped label with a red background, a central black circle containing a white stylised spiral symbol, and the text expertic. This mark identifies the item as an export product from the East German handicraft organisation Expertic.