Old Wooden Bossing Mallet or Hammer - Shorter Head novelty nutcracker shape and style of painting

shape and style of painting I’d guess it’s American and dates to the mid to late 19th century

I could not resist this lovely old wooden bossing hammer

These trains (scroll through all photos to see the complete set) I purchased at the estate sale of a family in Newburyport

a large bird

Old Wooden Bossing Mallet or Hammer - Shorter Head novelty nutcracker shape and style of paintingI could not resist this lovely old wooden bossing hammer, used for shaping sheet metal, which I just love for its shape, beautiful patina, and feel in the hand. Surely there are a million things beyond pounding lead it might be employed to do or just hang it on the wall! 12 3 4" long x 4 1 2" wide x 1 3 4 deep and in perfectly worn condition, with a bit of yellow paint near where the handle meets the head.