Beautiful, Spare, Two Compartment 19th Century Book Shaped Box Carved From One Piece of Wood chopper I'll never walk away from

I'll never walk away from a very specific homemade token of love if I can help it

and I believe it is the spirit of the deceased shown fluttering over the head of the figure on the right vessel

who I find quite tenderly done

She reminds me a bit of the strange Creative Playthings family puppets that came along a bit later

Beautiful, Spare, Two Compartment 19th Century Book Shaped Box Carved From One Piece of Wood chopper I'll never walk away fromA beautiful, carefully carved antique book shaped box, the quiet loveliness of which photos don't quite capture. I wish I were better at identifying woods the wood in this case a dense, straight grained hardwood of quite a beautiful ashy light brown gray. And a bit unusual opening via a flat, perfectly fitted slide lid on one side, which almost disappears when closed. With two slightly different sized interior compartments. All carved out from one