This 9 3/4-inch Bavarian-style nutcracker is identical to one sold by the West German maker/distributer; Heinrich C. Preis. It's one of just two examples of this design, that I've seen on eBay.

This one varies slightly from the other and has a conspicuous absense of writing on the brim of its hat. It also does not have a Preis label or any indication that it ever had one.

The other labeled example has the words: "Oktoberfest - Hünchen" written with a Sharpie marker across the front of the brim on top. Hünchen usually translates as "chicken". If that means something else in this context, I lack the knowledge of it. A Sharpie was used to draw the eyelid line above each eye.

I've seen a few other Preis nutcrackers and smokers with writing on them. The fact that this one doesn't have the writing or a label, may indicate that Preis only marketed these. Maybe this one passed through some other channel.

Like other Preis-marketed nutcrackers, this unapologetically hand-made example was also turned from green wood. This lead to a small check (drying crack) at the bottom of the lever channel. Similarly, spackle was used to fill end grain prior to painting. Paint had flaked off in a few places, especially where spackle was used.