Handmade Hand Puppet with Painted Wood Face The Living Arts protfolio and no loss of lacquer

and no loss of lacquer on the interior It measures  It measures 3 7/8" tall x 4 3/8" wide overall

S Calvalry was established as an official branch of the United States Army in 1861

actually (based on the animals) appears to be the top of the piece: I believe it was once woven all the way to the end

but I am not entirely certain of its age

Handmade Hand Puppet with Painted Wood Face The Living Arts protfolio and no loss of lacquerI don't know anything about the history of this old hand puppet, which I found at an antique shop in Maine and just could not leave behind such humanity in this deeply carved and painted wooden face, with chunky screwed on nose and big drippy red mouth! And then this curly wool hair or maybe meant to be a cap, as there is another layer of brown hair peeking out at the back of his neck. He's had a life for sure, with holes now in his grey knitted wool