Pair of J.L. Hammett Co. Boston Early Froebel Gift #4 Kindergarten Blocks (Set of 2)

You know I'm a huge fan of early Froebel designed kindergarten materials, and will snatch them up whenever I find them. These J.L Hammett Boston sets--both complete "Gift 4" sets, comprised of eight rectangular blocks of the same size-- precede the Milton Bradley ones; the Hammett  company was formed in 1863 by John Hammett, credited with inventing the chalkboard eraser, as well as "slating paint" that extended the life of classroom slates. In 1890, Hammett sold the company to a group of Massachusetts investors, and in 1891 partnered with game-maker Milton Bradley of Springfield to produce some of the first kindergarten materials in the United States. I would date these blocks to the very earliest of those.  I love the design and lapis blue of the paper labels, and the slide lid boxes with jointed corners--all together communicating that these are creative tools of serious merit and import! Since I found them together and think the more the better with these, I'm listing as a pair. Ab