I'd never seen a painted or colorfully stained wooden whimsy before this one, and a little searching confirms they're pretty rare (And the colorful little carved balls inside of this one remind me of one of my other favorite things, clay marbles!) I believe this one likely dates to the early 20th century, and I believe is pine. All carved from one piece of wood, and it certainly must have taken some effort to get to paint those balls inside their cages, too. Really a pretty special one I think, and great addition to a whimsy collection. 

12" long x 3/4" wide and deep. Very good condition, with a few small dings here and there but very minor.