Early Figurative Meerschaum Pipe with Face, Legs and Deep Patina folding Stanley ruler with the rings labeled purity

with the rings labeled purity

and then on reverse just this funny little patch of colorful stitched blobs which just seem like a little flurry of exuberant moments

which became a force in the 1980s showing the "Pictures Generation" artists--Cindy Sherman

I take it as a portrait of a woman

Early Figurative Meerschaum Pipe with Face, Legs and Deep Patina folding Stanley ruler with the rings labeled purityA wonderfully weird antique figural meerschaum pipe bowl, with face of a woman peeking out like masthead at the front, and kicked up legs in what looks rather like a tutu poking out the back. Clearly this was much smoked, which turns meerschaum (made from the mineral sepiolite) from white to a rich caramel. Further, the wear to the front of the bowl makes it look as if our woman is wearing a Covid era mask! I believe this dates to the 1st half of the