Two Birds on a Basket, Beautiful Antique Iroquois Beadwork Star antique wooden barbell and of course they were

and of course they were much used for teaching drawing (form

One could dig into this and learn a whole lot about treatments of the time

as it seems to encourage claiming one's space and doing just what one wants

loud thwack as the tongue slaps the side of the notched wheel as it turns (or

circa 1900 I believe

Two Birds on a Basket, Beautiful Antique Iroquois Beadwork Star antique wooden barbell and of course they wereIt seems most likely to me that this was made as a mat or wall hanging rather than a pin cushion it is more than 9 1 2 inches across, and the reverse side is finished with fabric but I'm not completely sure. Whatever the case, I'm never one to resist a wonderful bird, even more so two, here perched facing each other on the arching handle of a colorful basket. (the center of which also looks a little like a heart.) I do believe I could spend the rest