Oval bowl
Northeastern United States
1775-1875
Measurements
6-3/4 in x 17 in x 13-5/8 in
Materials
Unidentified burled hardwood, probably maple or walnut
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp
Accession Number
1959.4046
Provenance
Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp
Comments
Several features of this oval treenware (a modern term for antique domestic woodenwares) bowl set it apart from most others. Its burled grain—being a deformity in the grain—is dense and complex, giving it a particular appealing appearance. The walls of the bowl have been cut quite thin, imparting an air of refinement to this object. Also, the walls were cut to leave the two ends high and wide enough for the pierced hand openings. That one end stands almost an inch higher than the other seems to be an outcome of the general asymmetry of the wood burl from which the bowl was cut.
Typically, as here, treenware was given no finish, although years of use have contributed to smoothing it.
