Antique Knotwork Sailor's Cosh black eyes I'm a softie for especially

I'm a softie for especially carefully painted pieces like this cigarette box

which is at far right in the image of three sold together

or just hang it on the wall

all in very good

Antique Knotwork Sailor's Cosh black eyes I'm a softie for especiallyAbout a year ago I found a sailor's cosh similar to this one in the Hudson River Valley, and just returned to the same dealer to purchase this one, which came from the same estate. From what I understand, this exquisitely crafted but brutal object was a sailor's weapon, preferred over the knife, and according to lore was carried by "Press Gangs," who would use them to gather a crew by rendering unsuspecting victims on shore unconscious, only to awake