Box with a hidden locking mechanism. Jerusalem, [late 19th century]. Printed illustration in Meir Gur-Aryeh's style, added at the beginning of the 20th century.
Olive wood, printing.
The word "Jerusalem" is printed on the cover in a black frame. Later, most probably, silhouettes of a camels' convoy and a palm tree have been added, in Gur-Aryeh's "Bezalel" style. On the front panel appear Latin digits from 1 to 7 with carvings in the wood which portray the digits as an upright row of books.
A special mechanism helps drawing out part of the bottom panel which opens as a drawer with a key. This releases book number 4 and a key hole is revealed. The inner side is covered with a red cloth and a mirror.
Height: 12 cm, width: 13 cm, depth: 10.5 cm. Good condition, mechanism is functioning, minor white paint marks on the cover.