Ball in Cage with Links (and Hole!) Whimsy handmade postcard mid 19th century I believe

mid 19th century I believe

were not made by prisoners to sell

And indeed when they are hung and left to balance and bob and turn in the breeze

super sturdy and good looking

though it is unsigned and I am not certain of how old it is

Ball in Cage with Links (and Hole!) Whimsy handmade postcard mid 19th century I believePart of what I love most about this whimsy, which I believe has a fair amount of age to it, is the round hole that runs straight through one of the links but touches neither edge, giving the whole thing a sort of miraculous precariousness. (I have no idea how it got there. That curious hole aside, it was quite nicely carved, all from one piece of wood, with an interesting long double ended link, two smaller ones of different lengths, and a ball in