Mid 19th Century Oval Pantry Box with Unusual Double Fingered Lap and Square Head Nails ball The nice round bulb top

The nice round bulb top is pretty nice too

Each weighs nearly 4 pounds

I also like that the faces on these antique homemade ones often look quite goofy-- this one

3 1/2" x 2 1/2" and in very good condition

as if looking toward the future and imagining a time when the ancient Japanese sport of Sumo wrestling

Mid 19th Century Oval Pantry Box with Unusual Double Fingered Lap and Square Head Nails ball The nice round bulb topI will never be the sort of dealer who chases pantry boxes and can tell you just where one was made and exactly when, but I do often covet them, and occasionally one calls to me loudly. (Sometimes those loud callers are gorgeous early painted ones of the most insanely precious variety and I have to ignore the call but happily I was able to listen to this one!) It dates to the mid 1800s I believe and has accrued a gorgeous patina, but it is the unusual