Siberian Crab Apple Heart Shaped Bowl (23WS15)

Malus baccata is an Asian species of apple known by the common names Siberian crab apple, Siberian crab, Manchurian crab apple and Chinese crab apple. It is a deciduous tree with a rounded canopy of spreading branches, ultimately reaching 20 to 50 feet in height. I obtained a crotch (see images) from a downed tree that grew in the Twin Cities area. The wood is beautiful with reddish-brown heartwood and cream-colored sapwood. This piece has an unsymmetrical heart shape that makes it stand out as something different. There is a dark line in the bottom of the bowl at the intersection of the two circular grain patterns of the branches. These intersecting patterns produce a beautiful herringbone effect with emerging radial lines of curl (flame figuring). The overall effect is stunning. This bowl is a great example of the special figuring seen in crotches. The red-brown colors add to this beautiful picture. The dark area of the crotch was stabilized and sealed with thin cyanoacrylate resin. The cream-colored sap wood surrounds the dark area of the crotch and contains the radial lines of curl. The bowl has a natural bark edge that provides a beautiful dark frame for the scene or picture in the bowl. The unusual shape of the bowl adds to its overall appearance. The wood was turned green and did not crack on drying under controlled conditions. This bowl was turned using handheld tools on a lathe, 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 requires the bottom to be re-turned so the bowl sits well. The minor warping of this bowl is masked by the bowls unusual shape! The bowl was sealed with two coats of 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. Images pf the bowl are shown including the crotch and its trimmed half.

 

 

 

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.