19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box antique kindergarten exercise and would guess it dates

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

which a mix of gold

Left tintype especially shows some scratches

or perhaps could be put to use in a new way

and how much—like a high school yearbook—it reveals of the times

19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box antique kindergarten exercise and would guess it datesI 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