Antique Handmade Book Box with Interior Portrait man in box It was painted in oil

It was painted in oil on cloth (not canvas)

though I have not found another in this blue and peachy yellow glaze combo

or really for making an occasion of lighting anything

I just loved the proportions on this one

thick cardboard with really nice black backs

Antique Handmade Book Box with Interior Portrait man in box It was painted in oilI rarely meet a book shaped thing I don't like, and this feels like something of an example of not judging a book by its cover! I'm thinking there may once have been a picture of some sort adhered to the outside cover, which shows a bare spot surrounded by red paint now and perhaps that picture functioned as a sort of counterpart to the portrait print of woman in large plumed hat inside; my guess is that it turned this book box into a c. 1800 French