Striking Early, Large, Hand-Carved Printing Block with Heart, Beds, Flowers prairie wagon toy with the velvet face reminding

with the velvet face reminding me of old pin cushions I've seen

primarily dating to the mid- to late- 19th century

and I'd think was lovingly crafted by a parent or grandparent to house doll clothes or dishes or who knows what all

made in Japan circa 1940s

Striking Early, Large, Hand-Carved Printing Block with Heart, Beds, Flowers prairie wagon toy with the velvet face remindingI've seen some early carved print blocks, but I don't think ever one as large as this, or one I loved nearly as much! My guess is that it was used to print directly on the wall in a home though perhaps to make wall paper whatever the case it would have required some strength and determination to use, as it's fairly cumbersome and heavy. The heart at top framed with a ring of posts just kills me (which together with the overall shape makes this feel