Perhaps the eyes on the hind-quarters are an antique reference to the modern (?) expression
about "watching your ass" ?
Some things strike me 'funny' about this item , as far as it's appearance as a complete (& original) item .
Where's the wear patterns , from many hundreds of years , on this painted wood item ?
Didn't the nails ever get a little loose , metalware scrape off paint , etc. ??
Why paint worm-holes ?
If it was mine , I'd do a lead & mercury test on the inside of the box , in the event I thought it was older than 300 years .
I'm going out on my monkey-limb , in order to be very wrong , and say my guess is an item from the lepers colonies of Hawaii .(i.e. - I don't have a clue on this one yet)
Please correct me fully .
All that being said - it looks artsy , distinctive and rustic to me .
Nice item to display , tara1245 .