Spalted Box Elder Burl Bowl (26SF6)

This box elder burl came from the Grand Forks, ND, area. The burl used for this bowl was cut from a large burly box elder log. The burly log yielded 14 burls which are shown in the photos. The one used for this bowl is shown mounted on the lathe ready for turning. The finished bowl is also shown. The jagged nature if the live bark edge of the bowl reflects the actual knobby bark you can see in the figure of the burl below. The shape of the bowl was turned to give the best presentation of the wood grain and colors. It also gives the bowl a nice shape. This bowl shows a lot of chatoyance (flame or curl figuring) and markings from spalting, bark inclusions, knots, and decay. The decayed and punky areas were stabilized with cyanoacrylate resin. The bowl has a lot of red staining that is common in box elder burl. The red staining has been shown to be caused by fungal colonization. It is interesting that a red color is also found in box elder bugs. There is also some unusual blue coloring near the bark edge. Blue generally comes from the start of decay and is sometimes seen in decayed wood. The combination of these colors and the unusual grain figuring give this bowl an amazing exotic appearance. The bowl was turned using handheld tools on a lathe from green wood, dried to constant weight, 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 bowl was sealed with two coats of pure tung 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. This bowl is a real unusual beauty and will stimulate conversation.

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.