Antique Handmade Book Box with Interior Portrait man in box It was painted in oil

It was painted in oil on cloth (not canvas)

I just loved the proportions on this one

thick cardboard with really nice black backs

though I have not found another in this blue and peachy yellow glaze combo

Antique Handmade Book Box with Interior Portrait man in box It was painted in oilI rarely meet a book shaped thing I don't like, and this feels like something of an example of not judging a book by its cover! I'm thinking there may once have been a picture of some sort adhered to the outside cover, which shows a bare spot surrounded by red paint now and perhaps that picture functioned as a sort of counterpart to the portrait print of woman in large plumed hat inside; my guess is that it turned this book box into a c. 1800 French