Large Antique Slate with Hand-carved, Numbered Grid Marx toy stove The lines running vertically articulate

The lines running vertically articulate the vase's structure but are wonderfully irregular

in a gesture that feels like a forever embrace

Happily it is signed and dated (very specifically

5" tall not including sword

faucet peeking out at far right

Large Antique Slate with Hand-carved, Numbered Grid Marx toy stove The lines running vertically articulateThis terrific old chalkboard is too large to have been a student's school slate; rather I think it must have been used in a general store or other business context where an ever changing numbered list would be useful. In addition to the wonderfully worn, very sturdy wooden frame with jointed corners secured with wooden pins what I find especially beautiful are the hand written numbers, carved incised into the state itself, as are the gridded lines,