Beautiful Old Hand-carved Chalk Line Winder grand tour alabaster so these certainly date to

so these certainly date to the 1880s or so

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

giving a little variety to the rattling

it seems the ball was ultimately retrieved

and even a tiny figure I assume represents a dwarf (as well as a man with a very large belly

Beautiful Old Hand-carved Chalk Line Winder grand tour alabaster so these certainly date toI'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.