Featured Set of antique alphabet blocks... pyrography?

I've never seen a set like this. The box reminds me a bit of craft pyrography, but the blocks themselves look like something that would have been sold in a retail setting possibly. Has anyone run across similar. Not sure of exact age, etc.

 

The wood appears to be stamped, so I would guess heat was used, but in a large scale manufacturing operation. Not pyrography in the hobby sense, but I guess the name might still apply.

 

I'd think a modern craft piece.

Debora

 

To me they look a bit older... but wooden blocks of that general type have been made from the 19th century until today, so... I have no idea of date. In a quick search I didn't find anything, old or newer, made exactly in that way.

 

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Nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus Pallas) were apparently brought to the United States from India as zoo animals before the mid-1920s and were released in South Texas about 1930

strange item.....but I'll guess WW2 era

 

Here's one on eBay. Is it yours? U.S.-based seller says late 1880s.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314342579626

Debora

 

nope.......it looks like another set

see, chicken...big chunk out of the block.

and I doubt the 1880 date...

 

so the back of each block has a different letter on it.........right??

 

or is there room for 24 tiles...

 

This looks like hot stamping, in which metal dies are used to press gold or other colors of foil into the surface to be printed, often book covers. Here it looks like foil was not used, so I'd guess Great Depression era, when manufacturers were experimenting with cheaper production techniques. Design seems appropriate to that period, too, with a little lingering Nouveau style.

 

Wow, can't believe you found another set Debora. Correct, someone else's, not mine. Thank you!

I could see these being 1930s. Yes there are 24 pieces, two-sided and two of the blocks have a double letter to make a total of 26.

Thanks for all the eyes on this!

 

*Edit from above. There are 12 pieces (2-sided to make 24 surfaces).