A very curious one, looking a bit like a pipe and a bit like a whistle and a bit like a shoe too. The NC LANE carved into one side of it made me do a little searching for the name, and makes me wonder if rather than the initials of a first and middle name, the NC might instead stand for North Carolina, where there were some notables Lanes. Specifically, there was Lunsford Lane (1803-1879), his year of death matching the date carved into this), an African American entrepreneur who bought freedom for himself and his family, became a vocal opponent of slavery, and wrote an autobiography detailing his life as a slave. After leaving North Carolina, the family settled in Boston, and Lane worked at Wellington's Hospital (WH) in Worchester MA as a steward. He moved to New York City after the death of his daughter in 1872, living in Greenwich Village until his death in 1879. It seems to me there are maybe too many things that line up here to think it is mere coincidence; rather I might think this carving was made to commemorate his life at the time of his death--which would make it quite a special thing indeed! [More about Lunsford Lane here.]
3 1/4" l x 7/8" w x 11/16" t and in very good antique condition. There is a small hole at the center of the recess at going through the N on the bottom through which a wire or thread could be strung.
