Vintage or new, intricate or simple, these charming tools have been shaping sweet memories for decades.
The earliest shown here (such as the heart with the round hole in its back, center) date to the 19th century, when tinsmiths
crafted cutters from spare snippets of metal. Mass-produced tin cutters came next, followed by aluminum cutters—
common in the 1930s—and then plastic cutters a decade later. Copper became popular and collectible later in the 20th century.
Designs with flat backs and holes generally predated those with handles. But it’s difficult to date a cutter
definitively, because so many reproductions have been made and tin ages quickly, looking well-worn even when it’s not.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRYAN GARDNERHEART-SHAPED CUTTERS
marthastewart.com/heart-shaped-cutters
Learn more about these cutters.
PROP STYLING BY FRITZ KARCH124
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