Beautifully Primitive, Carved Wood Wool Comb painted antique splint basket It does look like there

It does look like there may be a syllabic signature on the underside but hard to tell

5 7/8" x 1 11/16" x 1 11/16" and in very good antique condition

which is what especially sold me on it

and what I'd guess was one a short rod on the front connecting the clasp closure on the front has been replaced (some time ago) with wire

with crusty paint on some of the letters as evident

Beautifully Primitive, Carved Wood Wool Comb painted antique splint basket It does look like thereI've fallen in love with more than a few hetchels, used for combing flax, but to my eye none are as beautiful or sculpturally satisfying as this one, simply a long, hand hewn piece of wood with carved teeth at one end and definitely it was used as there is residue caught between the teeth. I found it in upstate New York, and though I remain terrible at wood identification it certainly appears to be some type of evergreen. It was cut somewhat