SOLD 1895 Gold Painted Carved Whimsy with Letters, Numbers and More, On Stilts! pocket toy I really love these wire

I really love these wire baskets

where it has probably lived since it was made

which seems it might have just driven off of a film noir set of the 40s or early 50s

which take a few steps to unlock and open

SOLD 1895 Gold Painted Carved Whimsy with Letters, Numbers and More, On Stilts! pocket toy I really love these wireEvery inch of this carved whimsy is covered with letters, stars, the year 1895, and more. I believe they all together likely tell a story about the person who carved it, the letters not just being monograms but also speaking to where they were born or lived or were educated, etc. The number 60 appears, too, perhaps indicating the age of the carver or, it is possible that whole thing commemorates the life of someone who has passed, as I believe was