Unusual Early American Folk Art Still Bank detailed wooden box the surface shows old blue

the surface shows old blue paint

There is a hairline split to the end of the beak

somewhat akin to the game of Life but specifically portraying a series of twists and turns along the course of a hike

especially due to the smooth black fabric inside

) dealer I purchased this from thought likely early 1800s

Unusual Early American Folk Art Still Bank detailed wooden box the surface shows old blueThis is quite an old one, early 19th c. American believe, and also an unusual one, with a whimsy sort of feel, and also a sense of mystery about it. It is a carved still bank, which also feels like a piece of tabletop architecture, with round cylinder at the center framed by three "walls" and two posts, and with a sliding slat that pulls out to expose the slit for dropping coins inside. I find it curiously compelling, and like a distillation of the