Eight Sided 19th Century Treen Teetotem Czechoslovakian Whether painted over an early

Whether painted over an early photo portrait

rendered with the use of stencils

or like a porcupine protecting the stash hidden inside the slide top box

I purchased this and a handful of other antique works on paper listed today from a friend and longtime paper dealer in PA

We are booth poorly I don't know what will become of us but we want to see you so much

Eight Sided 19th Century Treen Teetotem Czechoslovakian Whether painted over an earlyI've had a couple of these carved of bone, but this is the first treen (hardwood) example I've found, British I presume, and I believe earlier than later 1800s. My photos aren't great, but it a lovely thing, with black inked numbers in each side, written in just the same manner as on early 19th century bone ones, so I do believe of that age. Used in the 18th and 19th century for games including "Put and Take," and often as substitutes for dice