Mid Century Footed Pottery Dish with Bird handheld game with a pair of figures

with a pair of figures in what I believe are whaling boats on either side

a few small nails on the top perimeter are missing

There are a couple of minor splits in the wood on the top/lid and one split in the top interior tray

I purchased this lot of student-made book covers from a relative of the high school English teacher

Mid Century Footed Pottery Dish with Bird handheld game with a pair of figuresThis piece is unsigned and I don't the maker, but definitely it is mid century, and I really like this line drawn bird just barely incised that hovers mid way between appearing and disappearing amid the reactive brown and white glaze. I'd probably keep it on the coffee table and use it for serving small treats, with its three little feet on the underside nicely elevating it a bit off the table. The longest side measures 9 3 8" long and it measures