One Gross Pen Wipers, As Found Box of Antique Leather Pen Wipes Benjamin Harnett painting the wife of Punch

the  wife of Punch

I love the fact that making these reflected an increasing popular interest in the natural world and also a greater freedom for women and girls--an excuse to venture out on their own toward to the sea

" with a table in the foreground topped with what appears to be flowers in a vase and a fish on a platter (

perfectly folded over top

One Gross Pen Wipers, As Found Box of Antique Leather Pen Wipes Benjamin Harnett painting the wife of PunchI've never come across a box of these before, nor had the dealer I purchased them from, who has seen just about everything! I did just happen (scrolling through ebay) to come across a tiny naive watercolor, mid 19th c., painted on a round of leather just like one of these making me think, as does the packaging, that this box full is about that old. I just love this as a found object, with excellent green paper "Penwipers" label on plain cardboard box