19th Century Carved Folk Art Spruce Gum Box Primitive Red Painted Bible Book Form Maine

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TERRIFIC FOLK ART PAINTED AND CARVED SPRUCE GUM BOX 2ND HALF 19TH CENTURY DIMENSIONS About 5 1/4" x 3 3/4" … Read more TERRIFIC FOLK ART PAINTED AND CARVED SPRUCE GUM BOX 2ND HALF 19TH CENTURY DIMENSIONS About 5 1/4" x 3 3/4" x 1 1/2" DESCRIPTION Wonderful red painted spruce gum box in the form of a Bible or other book. Thoroughly chip carved with circular and geometric decorations. Gold and black painted "binding" with gold painted "page" edges. And just for authenticity's sake, I included a ball of genuine Maine spruce gum that I gathered myself. Spruce gum is a chewing material made from the resin of spruce trees. It was chewed by Native Americans and later introduced to the early American pioneers. It was sold commercially as a chewing gum product by several companies in the 19th century, and also sold as an adhesive. It was used by Native Americans as a healing medicine, and also as a sealant for birch bark canoes. I'm tasted it myself many times, and I can confirm that it tastes terrible! CONDITION Overall excellent. Old repaired age drying check on one side, and a similar repair on the slide cover. Some paint wear to the black and gold paint on the "binding" side. Detached slide fits loosely (all visible in the images). A TRUE MAINE 19TH CENTURY FOLK ART GEM. See less