Barber's Writing Academy, Mid 1800s Fraktur Penmanship Example in Great Period Frame wooden pestle and the cursive signature--and name

and the cursive signature--and name of the subject--written in pencil on reverse certainly look like older (19th century) handwriting to me

dings and scuffs

the goal is to form sets--families--comprised of mother

but I have found no exact match for these and believe them to be quite an early deck

Barber's Writing Academy, Mid 1800s Fraktur Penmanship Example in Great Period Frame wooden pestle and the cursive signature--and nameMy photos here don't do much justice to this, but I think it's really a nice thing, and very much a whole package. And while it took me a little while to figure out, I think it is quite possible that this was actually the lid of a writing box, with what appear to be parts of two hinges still attached to the corner sides of the frame at top, and a nail on the bottom edge at center, which would have met a clasp. At least I think so. And if so, one might