Antique Early Kitchenalia 19th Century Sycamore & Pine Carved Cheese Chessle

A superb example of an early 19th Century (c.1811) English antique sycamore / banded pine cheese vat, these collectable items are also known as chessels or chessets...this fine piece is also initialled MY and dated 1811.....I have never seen one carved ,...it is skilfully carved with a large fish, closely resembling a Dolphin / Hippocampus....it would have been used in the country kitchen of a large manor house and it was used by placing the salted curd into the chessel and then the whey drained away through drainage holes in the base and the cheese formed leaving this fine pattern on the surface.... it is in excellent condition with a fine natural colour and patination.