Lovely 19th Century Handmade Book-Shaped Candy Box, Hand-painted Paper and Velvet Over Board cast iron scale weight 3rd quarter 19th century I

3rd quarter 19th century I would guess

but I've turned up a few related child sized examples out there

Photos tell the story well

very painterly

3 1/2" across at base

Lovely 19th Century Handmade Book-Shaped Candy Box, Hand-painted Paper and Velvet Over Board cast iron scale weight 3rd quarter 19th century IThis I believe was made as a bonbon box, with the padded interior compartment framed with paper lace. (Those doily lined Russell Stover Valentine's chocolate boxes didn't come out of nowhere!) Of course I love it for its book form, and especially that hand hand printed checkerboard patterned paper across the front (with the patterns on those tiny squares evincing pressed seamoss), perfectly bordered in embossed silver and green trim. More silver trim