Lovely Antique Sailor Made Knotwork Basket French astronomy while I believe it is

while I believe it is a spotted dove depicted here

This lovely old checkerboard-type parquetry egg-shaped finial surely once attached to something

but the more I look at it the more I love It for the body language of the children-- the way the boy rests his arm on the table and leans in

and joining one of the borders to the linen

but both cover itself and pages are in very good condition

Lovely Antique Sailor Made Knotwork Basket French astronomy while I believe it isI'm a huge fan of antique sailor made baskets, crafted from fishing twine while out at sea and typically intended as love tokens to be delivered upon return. I love the thought of sailors doing what was essentially macrame in their spare time, and what fine work and lots of labor this one represents. I haven't found a nice example in a long time, and this one is exactly what I look for, very well done, with clean lines, and several different knotting