19th C. Carved and Jointed Folk Art Climbing Man Toy rectangular wooden box The blocks are in good

The blocks are in good shape and nicely aged

which were a predecessor to jack straws and pick up sticks

and would work as a wall-hung vase or a small planter

and I am no expert

At first I thought this lovely hand-painted postcard depicted a bunch of green olives still on the branch

19th C. Carved and Jointed Folk Art Climbing Man Toy rectangular wooden box The blocks are in goodI've had a couple of old climbing toys of this manner in the shop, but none as old or with such a wonderful figure as this guy, with jointed arms and legs, carved pointy hat, buttons painted up his front and seams down his arms and legs in black. Looking closely reveals that the lips of his carved face were once painted bright red too, just a little of which is still holding on. Sliding the grip up and down the long post manipulates him into all sorts