I love this as a found object, complete unto itself (and which feels like it pretty much sums up everything)--though one could also alter it by placing two glass plate slides inside, which would change its nature. (I had one of these previously that still had glass plates in it--which made it feel very much like the encapsulation of a peep show; black shades veiling glass windows--which one could then sliding open to expose them.) Here, it is just EXPOSED, printed in silver on the black sliding panels on either side, with nothing more inside; to slide them open is simply to reveal a void, which feels quite apt and metaphical.

6 1/2" x 4 3/4" x 9/16" and in excellent antique condition,, 1907 patent date.