Elm Crotch Bowl (21WS3) SOLD

This bowl was turned from a large American elm crotch. The wood came from a tree that was cut down to make room for road improvements in Grand Marais, MN. This bowl preserves a piece of one of these beautiful and rare trees. There are not many elm trees left on the North Shore of Lake Superior due to Dutch Elm Disease, so this bowl has historical significance. Three images of the trimmed crotch, secured to my lathe, are shown in the photos above. The piece was cut so the resulting turned bowl will have a complete live bark edge. The top view of the completed bowl (above) clearly shows the two main branches of the crotch, each with its characteristic circular growth rings. A count of these rings shows that the main branch was about 70 years old and the smaller side branch about 60 years old. The wood has very nice colors and patterns, and the region where the two branches intersect shows a herringbone motif. The bark edge on this bowl provides a natural frame for the bowl, and it shows a beautiful striped pattern typical of elm bark. This bowl was turned from green wood and left to stabilize and dry for several months. The bowl was sanded to 600 grit and 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 the bowl can be used for holding food like fruit, nuts or vegetables; however, the fragile bark requires some caution if using this bowl to serve food. This large bowl would be a great centerpiece for a table. It preserves the soul of this old elm tree and will age gracefully for hundreds of years. Note: There will be a second similar elm crotch bowl made from the other end of this piece of wood. I was commissioned to make a bowl to be donated to a non-profit in Grand Marais. My plan is to donate it to the North House Folk School for their Fall 2021 Unplugged on-line auction.  

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.