This folk art snake in a box, American, earlyish 20th c. I believe, is larger and more substantial than most I have seen--carved I believe to pass for a book on the shelf--and quite a satisfying one to release by sliding the lid! (And the wear to the paint on the lid where the snake hits it as it completes its emergence tells us it has been opened many times!) Great paint on the snake, with orange spots against black and red inside the mouth, plus orange and black glass eyes and tiny brass nails for the nostrils. Nice surface to the black paint of the carved box, too. Putting a bit of tissue inside allows for display with the snake halfway emerged, as shown in the first image. Fun and fabulous!
5 3/5" x 4 1/8" x 1 9/16" d with box closed. Very good condition, with nice craquelure to the black paint on the box. There is one ding near the bottom edge of the box on one side, not detracting.
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