Cast Iron Squirrel Nutcracker

A cast iron squirrel nutcracker. Appears never to have been assembled because there was no screw, no threaded hole, no rivet. One side has a hole but there is metal flashing in it and could not have held a screw or rivet without being reamed out first. The other side has a boss where the rivet or screw would attach but there is no hole, thread, rivet or any way to attach it to the other half. There is no evidence of anything being broken off either side. Is it possible this was made locally and this was an unfinished or defective piece a worker may have taken home? What is the best way to preserve or finish it? I would like to use black paint and rub gold "rub n buff" in the highlights.

Poor