Victorian Dried Seaweed Pressing, Isle of Wight, #1 tall vase Originally used for holding cutlery

Originally used for holding cutlery

) masks at the estate sale of a gallerist and incredible collector

Really a very lovely little piece

I think my favorite thing about this vintage Indian brass turtle box is its feet

Victorian Dried Seaweed Pressing, Isle of Wight, #1 tall vase Originally used for holding cutleryThis is the first of a handful of small seaweed pressings I purchased together, which I think are just exquisitely beautiful! A few of them, including this one, are signed and dated (1867 I believe, though possibly 1887) at bottom, others initialed on back, so they represent the work of a few different people, most likely young women, among whom seaweed collecting and pressing was quite the thing during the Victorian era. I love the fact that making