German Vintage Carved Walnut Miniature Nativity Scene 1950s The lid is woven primarily

The lid is woven primarily with tight sweetgrass braids

these don't interfere with the legibility of the imagery and I think rather add to its charm

a dog with a ball

Glazed matte black

Really a beauty

German Vintage Carved Walnut Miniature Nativity Scene 1950s The lid is woven primarilyI continue to marvel at the wide array of things humans of different cultures do with walnuts! I couldn't resist this example of walnut related ingenuity: a tiny nativity scene, complete with baby Jesus in his crib and the star of Bethlehem shooting in the top left corner! From what I've learned, these are a German tradition, and I'd guess this one dates to the mid 20th century or so. I believe the figures are carved of wood and glued inside, and then