Old Carved Wooden Cup (Presumed Dipper Bowl) with Smiling Imp dish with painted flower Wonderful dry wood patina

Wonderful dry wood patina

The box measures 6 1/2" long by 3 3/8 inches wide and deep and is in great vintage condition

but I like him just standing around

and in their sharp-looking original tin

Pictures tell the story best

Old Carved Wooden Cup (Presumed Dipper Bowl) with Smiling Imp dish with painted flower Wonderful dry wood patinaI believe that this cup, with a carved hole on one side, once had a handle and was used as a dipper and given the imp devil carved into it, I'd guess for ale or similar! What a fabulously carved character he is, with graphite used to enhance his features and give teeth to that devilish wide smile and it appears there was once a name written in cursive letters across his chest, now a bit hard to read. The carving itself seems as old as the vessel or at