New Zealand kauri gum - resin -copal
Resin is from the Kauri Tree. It is stored within the tree to heal any damaged parts.
Kauri gum was retrieved by "gum diggers" back over a hundred years ago and was shipped by sailing ships to England (Appely Bridge, Wigan) and other parts of the world and processed in to a varnish or polish.
The trees were also "bleed" for the gum as it became more valuable.
The gum we find today down in the swamplands is more milky in colour due to the moisture in the swamp. The kauri gum is becoming very hard to find now. Some call it "amber" but our kauri gum is still a resin and hasn't gone to the amber stage - needs to be millions of years old and in the right conditions.
the gum digger statue in Dargaville
sieve full of kauri gum - copal resin
Rick Taylor polishing kauri gum
(above) a beautiful clear piece of kauri gum - for sale Ref 2
above piece for sale
above piece for sale