The collection · 9 pieces

Hand Walnuts

Matched pairs of Chinese hand walnuts: whole walnuts that are turned together in the palm.

About the material

Turning a pair of walnuts in one hand is a long tradition in northern China. The two walnuts roll around each other with a soft click, and with time they become smooth, warm and glossy.

A good pair is matched in size, shape and ridge pattern, so the two sit evenly in the hand. Each listing names the variety, such as lion's head, millstone or toad-head, and gives the size of the walnuts in millimetres as measured by the maker.

Fresh walnuts are pale. With handling they darken toward amber and red-brown and take on a soft shine. Keep them dry, brush the ridges now and then, and give them time.

These walnuts are for turning in the hand, not for eating.

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