Tools in Bottles

This bottle was made by the same artist as made the wishing wells and the whimsey with the carved basket stopper, and possibly the bottle containing a structure strung with pearls, shown in Miscellaneous subjects. It contains a two-level structure decorated with foil paper. On the bottom level are various tools, including a tiny pocket knife and shaving horse*. Sticking up through holes in the level divider are a sword (seen both left and right) and a Masonic-type wand (below right), and a large ax which appears to have come out of one of the holes and fallen down on the side of the sword. On the top is a silver log with a cross-cut saw.

The stopper probably was a hand, perhaps with a book. All that is left is a beautiful cuff with a button. On the stopper is a heart cut out of the wood and embedded with bronze glitter.

*A shaving horse is a bench where woodworkers could sit and plane wood while holding it in a vice with a foot pedal.