ES20

Designed in 1993, this nutcracker belonged to the Twergi collection, born out of a desire to revitalize the ancient tradition of woodturning, typical of the area where Alessi is based. Twergi means "leprechaun" in the ancient Walser dialect spoken in the mountains surrounding the company: according to belief, these creatures related to humans by doing mischief but also favors such as teaching how to use wood from the forests. Fascinated by the lathe, Ettore Sottsass and others created objects that still prove relevant today.

All Time Favourites presents a series of small representative objects from the “Twergi” collection, created in 1989 from a desire to revitalise the ancient tradition of woodturning, typical of the territory in which Alessi is based. The name “twergi”, or “elf”, derives from the dialect spoken in the nearby valleys. In their dealings with humans, the “twergi” alternated between causing mishaps and giving a helping hand, which included teaching men how to make use of wood and other forest resources.