Etched C. 1920s Circus Themed Wooden Box inuit carved bone box Woven of sweetgrass and dyed

Woven of sweetgrass and dyed ash splint

I would guess early 20th century or so but am not entirely sure

Really a terrific gift

which included a fantastic collection of mid-century and contemporary ceramics from Japan

Etched C. 1920s Circus Themed Wooden Box inuit carved bone box Woven of sweetgrass and dyedA cat rides a dog, a monkey rides a horse, and a clown conducts the proceedings on this sweet wooden box, with the design etched into the wood like a pyrograph, with red and blue details in addition to the black, and faux wood grain etched into the sides and all of the interior. A bit too short to be a pencil box (for unsharpened pencils at least), but perfect for erases to all sorts of other little things, with swing hinges on the sides that allow