Book Shaped Old Carved Spruce Gum Box wooden ladle flying above a little dog

flying above a little dog puttering along a grassy horizon

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

with a little bit of loss of the gold around the rim

since I am not an expert in harmonicas

4 7/8" x 3 3/8"

Book Shaped Old Carved Spruce Gum Box wooden ladle flying above a little dogIt 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