19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box handmade wooden dolls though it is difficult to

though it is difficult to read the writing

which I purchased on ebay in a largely unnoticed auction listing from a seller not typically dealing in older things

20 and 30 years of the same

A for Effort

19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box handmade wooden dolls though it is difficult toI took this for an antique carved snuff box boot, but when I got it home and opened it up, realized it was made as a trick box, with what looks to have been a snake inside that would pop its head up when one slid the lid open. Sadly, both ends of the snake were broken at some point; the remaining fragment remains, held by pins inside that attach to either side of the boot. Sad that it is lost, but a great little carved boot still, 19th c. and