Bark Edged Hovland Birch Bowl (25SF11)

This bowl was turned from an old birch tree that grew in Hovland (in my yard) on the shore of Lake Superior. It was taken down since it was starting to decay. The log was about 13” in diameter. The wood had beautiful dark colors and patterns from spalting. The shape of the bowl comes from the natural curvature of the log. The bowl is round although it appears to be oval. This optical illusion is due to the height difference of the sides. The birch bark on the edge of the bowl shows its usual texture. The grain of the wood shows the usual circular growth lines. The darker color and unusual patterns are due to the start of spalting (a pre-decay process). The patterns in this bowl are beautiful. The bowl was turned using handheld tools on a lathe from green wood, dried for several months, and sanded to 400 grit. Bowls that are turned green usually warp a little during the drying process. This is a natural process and adds beauty to a bowl. I always re-turn the bottom of a bowl after drying, so it sits squarely. The bowl was sealed with two coats of pure tung oil, and hand sanded with the grain after each coat. This finish is considered food safe so the bowl can be used for serving food or displaying things, however, the bark edge is fragile and may make it best for display as an artistic piece. You can spruce up this bowl by buffing it with a soft cloth moistened with walnut oil, but this is seldom needed. This bowl should last for hundreds of years and improve gracefully with age. This bark edged bowl nicely shows the beauty of North Shore birch.

 

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.