Lovely snuffbox corozo finely carved, decorated with a cherub playing the lyre on one side and a wicker basket filled with flowers on the other side, working as a sailor or convict * of XIXth century.
This snuff box is in good condition.
A note: small accident and loss of left hinge (see last photo), normal wear see photos.
____________________________
* The "palm ivory" from the Amazon rainforest bear fruit whose pulpit inner (endosperm) becomes very hard when dry and texture very similar to ivory. It is this which is called vegetable ivory or tagua tagua. The tagua nut carves, turns, polishes easily and almost as finely as ivory. The tagua nut was worked by the sailors who made ??such small boxes, snuff graters or tobacco also made ??by convicts. The latter worked to pass the time but mainly to get some money to improve their lives. Can also be attributed to sailors during their long journeys. These objects are corozo finest examples of folk art.