Diminutive Old Hand-Carved Green-Gray Stone Miniature Folk Art Book antique miniature chest and it's a wonderful thing

and it's a wonderful thing

sore throat

5 1/2" l x 2" x 1 1/2" and in good antique condition

)-- just right for a little pipe tamper that fits readily in any pocket

I just couldn't resist this--feels about as akin to a gingerbread house as a carved folk art house/bank could

Diminutive Old Hand-Carved Green-Gray Stone Miniature Folk Art Book antique miniature chest and it's a wonderful thingThere are certainly much larger and fancier old marble stone carved books out there, but I like the small scale and humbleness of this one, which would be perfect as the topper of a graduated stack. Carved of a variegated stone, soapstone I believe, with incised details around the perimeters of the front and back "covers" and across the spine, with crosses at the corners and recessed "pages". Found in Lancaster County PA, late 19th early 20th century