Gum arabic

This is a short, squat glass jar containing dried remnants of gum arabic. There is a small cork in neck of the jar.

Gum arabic is the hardened gum of Acacia trees and has been used in jewellery making as a binding agent, adhesive, and polish. This jar of gum was formerly owned by George Denton, who was a watchmaker, jeweller and ironmonger in Wellington in the second half of the nineteenth century.