Lovely Collection of Three Early 19th C. Carved Bone Teetotem (Game Spinners) vintage blocks set some of which is lost

some of which is lost but enough pins remain to discern the date of 1901 (and one could certainly add a few pins to make the year clearer now

with a few flea bites and what I think is a little water staining toward the bottom

I look as readymade painterly sculptures

with excellent aging and wear to the surfaces

Lovely Collection of Three Early 19th C. Carved Bone Teetotem (Game Spinners) vintage blocks set some of which is lostI have always wanted one of these so what a thing to find three together! They are early 19th century bone "teetotems" used for games, including "put and take," essentially like dice. Two of these are eight sided, the white one six sided, and all of them spin brilliantly, like tops. (Pure pleasure setting them spinning, and all sorts of games one might play with them.) Possibly sailor made, possibly prisoner of war, it is hard to know for sure, but