Unfinished carved spruce gum box, M.A.B

between 1870 and 1929
Not on view
This chip carved box is made in the same manner as a traditional spruce gum box, but it is larger than usual, and appears unfinished. The box is carved from a solid piece of light and soft deciduous wood species and has openings at the top and bottom; at the top is a slide opening with fingerhold; the bottom opening is sealed with fitted and pegged panel of hard pine. The front cover is decorated with a wide toothed border and a large Maltese cross in the center with the initials M.A.B. inscribed above. The back cover is covered in deeply carved diamond, or diaper, and triangle pattern. The spine has four raised bands. Those at the top and bottom are rounded, and the two center bands are toothed. There are some undeciphered pencil marks on the bottom of the sliding lid. The lid seems to be missing an outer edge, so that it no longer dovetails properly with the case. -- description by Mindell Dubansky in consultation with Marijn Manuels

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Unfinished carved spruce gum box, M.A.B
  • Date: between 1870 and 1929
  • Geography: United States
  • Dimensions: 1 box : whitewood and hard pine ; Height: 9 1/16 × 5 1/8 in. (23 × 13 × 9 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Lynn and Bruce Heckman
  • Object Number: N7433.3 .U54 1870

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.