Beautiful Antique Iron Rake-Hoe Head slip painted and the sheaf of wheat

and the sheaf of wheat below tied with a ribbon that runs just to the very edge of the picture frame

giving the piece a great  sweetness and tenderness

perhaps even more so for the fact of having two of its drawers missing

and that one very curled back rear paw

Beautiful Antique Iron Rake-Hoe Head slip painted and the sheaf of wheatSuch a beautiful form, looking rather like a creature on four spindly legs holding up a sign, or, the other way, like a body with antler or antenna, arms raised and legs spread. I believe it is an antique iron garden "rake hoe" head, c. late 19th century, I believe by its scale for a hand held tool; by the early 20th c. these more typically divided into two separate tools. Striking now hung on the wall; the round opening at center is also just the