19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box handmade wooden dolls labeled with an arrow at

labeled with an arrow at center

and signed on the bottom with what I believe is a Japanese character or two

surrounded by chip carved decoration

The vase features a celadon body decorated with a blue tree that branches beautifully around its perimeter and is punctuated with white moriage blossoms

which I purchased on ebay in a largely unnoticed auction listing from a seller not typically dealing in older things

19th Century Miniature Carved Boot Shaped Box handmade wooden dolls labeled with an arrow atI 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