Little Brass Squirrel with Nut Pipe Tamper (?) painted bisque doll with a truly fantastic patina

with a truly fantastic patina to the dry pine

The handle is  carved black horn

Quite an old one

it will come off but can be placed back on once the slide is closed

There is a label glued to the bottom of one indicating that it is based on the 1863 C

Little Brass Squirrel with Nut Pipe Tamper (?) painted bisque doll with a truly fantastic patinaI've had this squirrel for a while, found at at estate sale at some point, and have always loved it as a little thing, holding a nut in its little hands, and with long flat tale as a handle. I'd think it a pipe tamper, but usually the tamping end would be more extended, so perhaps it was meant to press a wax seal, but was never engraved with a stamp? In any case, a sweet little thing, which stands on its own and can be moved around by the tail. 2 1 2"