An early 19th Century Sailor carved coconut called a Bugbear with much detail.
‘Bugbear’ coconut flasks were carved by sailors or soldiers on long sea voyages who visited the East or West Indies in the late 18th/early 19th centuries. The ‘green’ coconut shells were easier to carve before they dried, whilst they were still fresh.
Originally the bug bears would have had a form of stopper on a chain (where the holes are) which would protect the contents within, usually gunpowder.
This bugbear in relief has a banner reading 'MIDSHIPMANS ARMS' and below two figures, one carrying an anchor with the legends below reading 'GRIN AND BEAR IT'. Moving right we have a sea bird, a shark and a rabbit, next possibly a vulture with its prey and above a peacock/turkey in a cartouche with the legends around it 'AIA ONTE DE DIEU' which translates from French as THE WILL OF GOD.  The cartouche is carried by swifts/swallows attached by chains to their beaks. Next is a crescent moon smoking a pipe above a bird, squirrel and canon. Followed by a majestic parrot on a stand, star, butterfly and an elephant. Above is a skull and crossbones, a corkscrew, a bottle and lastly two birds of swan type. Above the Bugbear eyes are two probable flying fish that look like eyebrows and below the nose, around the mouth two intertwined snakes.
A really fabulous story in pictures, lord knows how long this took to create.
Measures 12cm x 9cm x 9cm.