Unfinished carved spruce gum box, M.A.B

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