Unique Hand Carved Bamboo Root Wood Turtle Monster Box

Description

Charmingly grotesque, it may be an Asian betel box. But you could probably keep diamonds, gold nuggets or whatever in the naturally compartmentalized bamboo root of both the shell and body. The shell fits loosely atop the body. The shade of the shell and body may be slightly different from each other. An “H” or “I” is cut into each piece, depending on how you look at the letter. This six-inch-high, ten-inch-plus-long item appears old, as evidenced by the overall patina, including a thin slit that looks to have gradually worn through near the tail. A small crack near the front of the shell looks more significant in the photo than in person, and doesn’t at all appear to be an unstable area. A fun mystery and a great conversation piece.