Prudence Wells's (Shelburne, MA) Lovely Early 19th Century Penmanship Notebook miniature beaver When I was growing up

When I was growing up

and wear to the mounting plate from a good bit of knocking

or something else entirely

and then the wonderful rich dark charcoal black of the carved body with rounded belly

intense face and wonderfully detailed long mane of hair

Prudence Wells's (Shelburne, MA) Lovely Early 19th Century Penmanship Notebook miniature beaver When I was growing upI made a trip to my favorite antiquarian book seller in Maine this week and scooped up a few old paper things, this early penmanship notebook, the work of a Prudence Wells of Shelburne, Massachusetts among them. (And I believe I've placed her, born in 1799, in Shelburne, Franklin, MA, married to a Thomas Nims in 1825, and living until to the age of 90 in Greenfield, MA.) Based on that, and its content, I believe this notebook dates to the late 1810s