A fun one, which I do believe has a good amount of age to, and with a really great face on this monkey. And there are grids carved into the pages of his open book, as if he might be reviewing a ledger of accounts! There seems to be a fairly long tradition of carved and cast monkeys reading books, ranging from all over Asia to Italy and beyond. This one—clearly hand-carved as there are carved marks all over him—is the folkiest I’ve seen among them for sure, making me think as much of folk art carved miniature books and bibles than as anything (including for the fact that the slab at his back is carved like a book as well) but I’m really not sure of its origins. 2 pounds heavy so plenty effective for holding down one end of a line of books on the shelf, or sitting right at the center of one!

4 1/2” t x 2 1/4” w x 3 7/8” d. It looks to me that he is carved of soapstone and the bookend piece (one solid piece) is marble. Good condition, with a few minor scratches and a small chip to one corner of the book and a bit of pinkish stain along the front edge of the book, not detracting.