It looks harmless but danger lurks!

This is a tiny, narrow wooden box with a sliding lid fitted into a wooden groove. The lid has a carved handle but as you draw the lid open a snake pops out suddenly and “bites” you on the finger. In some versions of this toy the snake has a sharp needle inserted as a tongue so the unsuspecting opener gets a real sting. Some joke! The mechanism is both clever and simple; the snake’s body is a curved arc shape and a piece of thread at the end furthest from the head attaches the snake to the lid just below the handle. This type of toy dates from Victorian times.

The box is made from a dark hardwood and is smooth and pleasant to touch. The handle is also carved in the form of a very stylized snake head – a hint at the Slytherinish danger lurking within.