UNGRADED, Antique Brass Crate Stencil peruvian pottery and on reverse a bunch

and on reverse a bunch of birds on branches with flowers springing up everywhere

with just the right amount of dings and scratches

Plus this beautiful hand-tooled leather cover with wrap around strap

I'm always looking for old folk art oil and board landscapes in this manner--honest and completely unfussy--this one depicting a view of the Merimere Reservoir in Meriden Connectcut

my guess would be late 19th or so

UNGRADED, Antique Brass Crate Stencil peruvian pottery and on reverse a bunchThere are Grade A apples (or pears or eggs, etc) and Grade B ones (cosmetically imperfect but perfectly usable) and then there are the UNGRADED ones laying in wait of judgement, I presume, but which I'd like to think exceed classification altogether! I love an old brass crate stencil, but especially an unusual one, and especially one bearing a word or phrase that transcends original context. This is the first I've seen of these. Let us all strive to