Beautiful Large Wooden Spinning Top French modern and serving as a handle

and serving as a handle of sorts

I believe these date to the mid-to-late 19th century

the both way more primitive but both clearly based on the same popular image

There are a few hairline cracks visible on one "wall"" of the cage as pictured

black and red ballpoint pen and pastel on paper

Beautiful Large Wooden Spinning Top French modern and serving as a handleI believe there was once a separate winder with string used to set this top spinning, but it's such a beautiful object I would just set it on the shelf or desk now to admire. I believe the wood is likely walnut, with a steel spinning tip at the end and an inset lighter wood handle. So pretty. 5 7 8" l x 3 3 8" in diameter. Definitely once used, with surface scratches and little dings to the wood all over, all to the good I think.