This old handmade box makes me very happy, purchased from a dealer in Pennsylvania. The multi-color alphabet across the top makes me imagine it once held a trove of bone letters (if only it did still!) though perhaps it was just made for pencils and crayons, marks of the latter much evident in the interior. In any case, I find those rows of neatly lined up letters in shades of yellow, green and orange letters beautiful, but even better is the fact that the "I" and the "W" are out of order, plus the "J" and "N" missing entirely. For me these imperfections make it a very human thing, to where you can just feel its maker realizing their mistakes but continuing on nonetheless. Bravo to them.
7 3/4" l x 4 1/18" d x 3 1/16" t and in good condition. The letters--which appear to me most likely hand-colored paper litho carefully cut and decoupaged on one by, though they could be hand-painted--are a bit subtle against the dark wood, but crisp and clear. Hinges are firmly attached and box opens easily and closes flush.
