American Holly Bark Edged Bowl (23WS7) SOLD

The American holly wood used to make this bowl came from a dying tree in the state of Georgia (see image of the tree). The wood was very wet and turned green! American holly (Ilex opaca) is a hardwood tree with white to cream colored wood. This bowl shows some green and red tones with a dark boundary line between the heart and sap wood. I suspect this is due to the start of spalting! The wood has a very fine grain and was nice to turn. There was no cracking as the fresh turned bowl dried to a very low Minnesota winter humidity. The shape of the bowl is textbook bark edged. It appears to be oval from a top view, but of course must be round. The oval appearance is an optical illusion due to the height difference in the rim. The bark is dark gray with a crinkled texture.  The wood is very smooth and feels nice to the touch. It gives one a calming feeling when being held and felt. The center or pith of the tree was just below the bottom of the bowl. There is a small knot hole in the bottom from an old branch. This area is sealed and stable. The wood was turned green and did not crack on drying under controlled conditions. I always try to preserve the bark on bowls because my goal is to show the complete beauty of the wood. Bark is an important part of the tree. This bark nicely contrasts with the lighter sap wood in the bowl. This bowl was turned using handheld tools on a lathe from green wood, dried for several months, and sanded to 400 grit. Wood that is turned green will always warp as it dries. This adds a natural quality to the bowl, but also required the bottom to be re-turned so the bowl sits well. The bowl was sealed with two coats of pure tung oil, hand sanded after each coat, and finished with a buffed thin coat of beeswax and walnut oil. This finish is considered food safe so this bowl can be used to serve or display food, although it is best used as an artistic piece. The bowl is stable and should last for hundreds of years and improve gracefully with age. It really does feel great to hold!

 

 

 

All my bowls are can be returned for a full refund if you are unsatisfied for any reason within 60 days. You must only pay the return shipping.

All of my bowls come with a laminated card with images of the bowl and burl, a complete description of the bowl and making process, and the artist's bio on the back side. There is no price on the card so it can be used if the bowl is given as a gift.