Bentwood Boxes

In British Columbia, we as First Nations Peoples used unique, and beautifully adorned traditional containers to store our most precious of possessions. These containers are commonly known as “Bentwood Boxes”. Aside from their decor, one of the aspects distinguishing the Bentwood Box from other wooden boxes lies in its construction. The body of the container is constructed using only a single piece of West Coast cedar.

Traditionally the wood for a Bentwood Box would be obtained from a live cedar tree. An incision would be made low on the tree, a plank would be pried upwards along its grain line, and then another incision would be made at the top of the plank in order to remove it. This process allowed the wood to be

harvested from the cedar tree without killing it. These trees are defined as “culturally modified” and remain thoughout the North-West coast of North America as an historic reminder of how we as First Peoples respected, and lived in harmony with, our environment.

Once a plank was harvested, it was then grooved on the corners to create kerfs, essentially thinning the wood for easier manipulation. The next step was to thoroughly steam the wood in order to painstakingly bend it at the corners into the form of the container.

Although, at present, there are laws in place which prevent the traditional practice of harvesting wood from live trees, in keeping with our culture’s commitment to the environment, we at Spirit Works use only recycled or salvaged cedar in the construction of our bentwood boxes. No trees are taken for this purpose. In addition, the abalone used in our inlays is the by-product of a farmed food fishery and therefore harvested in sustainable fashion.

The outside of our bentwood boxes has been coated with a clear water based finish so the owner can enjoy the natural grains and colours of this beautiful wood, while allowing the piece to be protected against oils and other contaminants which can stain it. The inside of the box has been left raw so that the owner is able to enjoy the natural fragrance of the cedar for years to come.

Every box comes with a Certificate of Authenticity stating that it is “100% made in British Columbia, Canada, by First Nations people, using traditional materials, and methods passed down by acknowledged Aboriginal cultural keepers.” Each box also comes with the story of the Bentwood box, as well as a bio of the artist whose artwork is displayed on the box.

Spirit Works has 14 beautiful designs to choose from with each design coming in 4 different sizes.

Baby Bentwoods
Our Baby Bentwood Boxes measure 3 ½” x 3 ½” x 3” and weigh 110 grams. Like our larger Bentwoods the bodies are traditionally steamed from a single piece of Wester Red Cedar. These are perfect gifts for visitors as they fit so nicely into the recipient’s luggage or bag.

Small Bentwoods
Our Small Bentwood Boxes measure 5” x 5” x 4 ½” and weigh 330 grams. Aside from being traditionally steamed from a single piece of Wester Red Cedar, these are our only production boxes available in the traditional red and black colours, as well as natural.

Medium Bentwoods
Our Medium Bentwood Boxes measure 5 ½” x 5 ½” x 5” and weigh 412 grams. For both our Medium and Large Bentwood Boxes we offer large radius kerfing. This technique results in greater rounded corners further distinguishing these traditional boxes from anything found anywhere.

Large Bentwoods
Our Large Bentwood Boxes measure 7” x 7” x 7 ½” and weigh 780 grams. For both our Medium and Large Bentwood Boxes we offer large radius kerfing. This technique results in greater rounded corners further distinguishing these traditional boxes from anything found anywhere.