It's hand carved, it's just fairly well done. I collect wood carvings, and a good craftsman can really do amazing things with the medium. There are tons of people in many poorer countries who are really skilled at the different crafts that they do for export. I think if it was a bookend it wouldn't be carved on the back of the base it would be flat and smooth against the books. I have lots of bookends of various age and description, and they are all between 4"-7". This thing is really too big being over a foot tall. It just appears to be a stand alone decorative object to me. Something to put on a table and look at.
The bottom has only been roughed in with a gouge. I think if something was ever glued to it they would have plained it flat for better adherance. That white might be laquer that wasn't wiped down or something to do with the varnishing/staining process. Something like that I would think
