Book Shaped Old Carved Spruce Gum Box wooden ladle embarrassingly

embarrassingly

oil in canvas

I would guess 1940s or so as that seems to be when crepe paper dolls were pretty popular

this piece was very clearly done by an artist of that school

Book Shaped Old Carved Spruce Gum Box wooden ladle embarrassinglyIt makes perfect sense that I would have found this one in Maine tagged as a "mystery box" but in fact a spruce gum box. Associated with logging and lumbering activities, spruce gum boxes, also known as gum books, were usually made from a solid piece of wood, as this one was, with a sliding opening at bottom. These were made by lumberman, typically as gifts for loved ones, most dating from 1850 1920, after which improved transportation allowed them to