Antique Schoolhouse Slate "Silent" Chalkboard antique box measures 4 1/2" tall x

measures 4 1/2" tall x 1 7/8" in diameter

The icon of the boy and chick derives from an old nursery rhyme saying "If you're close enough to put salt on the tail of a bird then you're close enough to catch it

I would be reluctant to actually use these as plates

especially as I’ve never seen one like it before

This seems to be a pretty rare one

Antique Schoolhouse Slate "Silent" Chalkboard antique box measures 4 1/2" tall xThis is a charming antique schoolhouse slate chalkboard with a wood frame. The chalkboard, which would have been used by an individual student, has holes all around the perimeter that would have been threaded with twine or yarn in order to keep the slate from banging on the surface of a school desk thus chalkboards like this are often called "silent" chalkboards! The front side of the slate is solid black; on the lower half of the reverse side are