Beautiful Old Hand-carved Chalk Line Winder grand tour alabaster The box appears to have

The box appears to have been made with wood salvaged from cigar boxes or wooden crates

it seems the ball was ultimately retrieved

3 3/8" tall x 1 1/4" wide x 7/8" deep

Pure pleasure

so these certainly date to the 1880s or so

Beautiful Old Hand-carved Chalk Line Winder grand tour alabaster The box appears to haveI've bought and sold a few old chalk line winders, and this is an especially lovely old hand carved one, with cross piece at the top that reminds me of a bottle whimsy stopper. I just can't resist the blue of the string, colored from use with blue chalk. Useful still for pulling straight lines, but really just a beautiful object. 8 3 4" x 1 1 2" diameter. Winder in very good condition, turns smoothly. String beautifully variegated blue.