19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box antique kindergarten exercise (Each side 11 3/16 x

(Each side 11 3/16 x 8 1/2")

Left tintype especially shows some scratches

and would guess it dates to the 50s or 60s

with a beautiful if somewhat inexplicable large red spot on his back and looking so elegant with those elongated legs

19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box antique kindergarten exercise (Each side 11 3/16 xI 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