SOLD At a Distance, Near at Hand, Double-sided 18th Century Dutch Engraved Brass Tobacco Box cartoon ball carving and making music

carving and making music

as if embodying a kind of desperation--and/or a crumbling of the literal and proverbial bank

given to her on the 8th birthday

looking as if aimed at a cat holding a shield with little bird flying overhead (methinks this boy had a nasty family cat

whatever the strange world's greeting

SOLD At a Distance, Near at Hand, Double-sided 18th Century Dutch Engraved Brass Tobacco Box cartoon ball carving and making musicThe is an antique Dutch tobacco box, 18th century, hand engraved on both sides. There is a rich history of these, which in this period commonly portrayed romantic scenes or morality lessons of sorts. I've gone back and forth here, especially as I've found the text a challenge to translate. At first I read it as portraying two scenes of progressive romantic familiarity, in a sort of "inch by inch" way, first reaching for, and then ultimately snuggling