Great Lakes First Nations 19th Century carved burl wooden oval bowl with a flat bottom and finger holes in the ends to form handles
Size: 7 x 15 ½ x 11 ¼ in
P16812
A fine and rare 19th century Woodland or Great Lakes large burl bowl of highly figured burl patterns and inset finger hole handles. Carved from a large, knotted tree burl, this oval bowl has a dynamic sweep between the high ends and low sides. This piece was carved by someone who understood the weakness of burl wood and carved individual finger slots rather than a larger hole in order to provide more structural support and reduce the risk of breaks. This bowl would have been used as a food serving or preparation bowl. The exterior of the bowl has a beautiful, pitted patina while the interior shows the wear of hundreds of meals. Similar bowls are discussed in S. Powers book North American Treen: Colonia & Native American.