Civil War Era Hairwork Wreath with Cut Paper Border in Original Carved Frame antique authors game late 19th century or so

late 19th century or so

There is a little cracking to the wood on the front side

3 7/8" across at handle

though I love the image and the mystery all the same

Civil War Era Hairwork Wreath with Cut Paper Border in Original Carved Frame antique authors game late 19th century or soI was thrilled to find this one at an antiques show last week to my sensibilities an ideal example of a hair work wreath. Mid 19th century, it features at least three or four different samples of hair, likely more, very finely gathered and looped and wound into buds forming the arch of the wreath and then into a larger bow like flower at bottom. All the better to me for being of this intimate scale, and rarer still for being mounted to a cut paper