Bear & feathers -Burnt Work design, wood jewelry box -Clarence Polches, Mi'kmaq

Description

CLEARANCE PRICE:  .50     -  Was .75
A roaring bear set in front of the full moon and tall evergreens is part of the burnt work designs that Clarence Polches, Mi'kmaq has added to this commercially made small wooden jewelry box.  There are burnt work bear prints on the front along with very beautifully done eagle feathers on both sides - also in burnt work.
Burnt work is also called  pyrography - dictionary definition
"Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with
burn
marks"
As a traditional art of the Wabanaki, burnt work has been used for at nearly 2 centuries and perhaps even prior to European contact...  The earliest burnt work design I have seen was on a paddle was dated to 1850 and have been told of others that were even earlier.  Wooden objects as well as birch bark items were sometimes decorated using the tips of burning sticks etc.
This commercially purchased wooden box has had the all the burnt work designs placed on it by the Mi'kmaq artist, Clarence Polches.    I believe box is of pine with embossed leather strips at sides of top and down front and back (see photos)  The leather is held on with brass tacks (which have long been used to decorate many Native American items such as Iroquois ball clubs, wooden pipe stems etc.
This wooden box is 6.25" long,  3.75" deep and 3.75" high.  There is scalloping of the wood at front center and there is a brass/brass finish clasp on the front and 2 similar material hinges on the back.  It would make a great desk top box for holding pens, paper clips, erasers etc... or a wonderful jewelry/trinket box.