Slightly Mixed Set of c. 1870s Hill's Alphabet and Animal Blocks (15) for the mancave I love that the hanging

I love that the hanging back is not at all symmetrical

where it would swing and rattle in the breeze like a wind chime

from what I understand these sorts of lined sewing baskets were made for the tourist market during the late Victorian era

I love stencils of all sorts

Can't argue with a thing about it--pretty perfect

Slightly Mixed Set of c. 1870s Hill's Alphabet and Animal Blocks (15) for the mancave I love that the hangingI can never resist a beautiful old alphabet block, or 15 of them, these perhaps the most iconic of them all, made by the S. L. Hill Company, 2nd half 19th century. Seems this is a mixed set, with three showing a bit lighter red (I think these are the earliest ones), and I believe a complete large set would have contained 20 blocks in a slide top box (though I've also seen sets of 12). Two sides show red with black letters, two sides white with black