Great Hand-carved Wooden Puzzle Lid Snuff Box, Signed and Dated 1776 Christmas village The head of the paper

The head of the paper doll at left in first photo had torn so I re-secured it with clear archival tape from the reverse

edition of 40)

24" x 8" and in much shot-up and rusted condition

I presume the couple here are homesteaders

with black paint for the eyes and brows

Great Hand-carved Wooden Puzzle Lid Snuff Box, Signed and Dated 1776 Christmas village The head of the paperI found this one in Maine, purchased from a dealer who had two other 18th century (those two Dutch) snuff boxes alongside them, I am sure from the same collection. (Those two were in rough shape or I would have bought them two.) I love a wooden snuff box with puzzle lid, but often one finds them with a loss at one side that keeps them from working properly not the case here; it works just as it should. And then the happy surprise of a year written