Featured Age of bird’s eye maple dough bowl?

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by bluumz, Sep 10, 2018.

  1. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    This was my find today at a local thrift store. It’s huge! Slightly off round, it measures 17 inches in diameter in one direction and 16 inches in diameter in another. It’s a bit over 5 inches tall and slightly asymmetrical in height. There is a 2” rim crack. It looks a bit dark because I’ve just given it a go over with food-grade mineral oil. (It was dry and dusty when I bought it.) Also, I'm taking quickie photos in a not-so-well lit room.
    I have seen large round bowls such as this referred to as dough bowls, as well as the elongated “trenchers”. I have also seen these old large bowls referred to as chopping bowls. This one does have some knife marks on the inside bottom of the bowl (see last photo).
    So… Is it a dough bowl? Any guesses as to age? Thanks so much!
    (I’m so excited, I love it!)

    Edit: more photos taken in natural light in post below.

    3883F50C-A8AE-4AAB-8187-C6EC7D4EAC38.jpeg
    1516666D-F867-42A7-9BBD-88F46A8CAC9C.jpeg
    6E3E9B30-FBB7-41AB-A62F-FFE4AA59D113.jpeg
    5D50E883-CFDE-4B96-B896-3405E9FC99A5.jpeg
    36E8D3B3-B06A-47EF-B5D4-BA533CD393A6.jpeg
    8FC561FD-B64A-4693-8007-4788A2D4B99D.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2018
    Jivvy, cxgirl, Bakersgma and 6 others like this.
  2. antidiem

    antidiem Well-Known Member

    I LOVE IT!!! <3 LUCKY YOU!!! <3
     
    cxgirl, bluumz, pearlsnblume and 3 others like this.
  3. Hollyblue

    Hollyblue Well-Known Member

    bluumz, pearlsnblume and Christmasjoy like this.
  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Beautiful!
     
    bluumz, pearlsnblume and judy like this.
  5. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    Thank you!
    Most that I see online claim to be about 100 years old. Naturally, I was hoping this one was, too! No turning marks but I suppose those could have been sanded away? Here are some better photos in natural light:

    53AFF6F7-3508-41C2-A6C7-23171F892F5F.jpeg
    48FC898D-676F-4F36-9A52-E3C59E2F551E.jpeg
    E4CAB937-33C4-4706-926F-18FEFC06E71F.jpeg
    B2AD5DED-2FFB-4097-8652-545678093A46.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2018
    Jivvy, judy and cxgirl like this.
  6. James Conrad

    James Conrad Well-Known Member

    Not A Clue! but i like the birdseye maple! very nice bowl. I think it being out of round is a good thing (sign of age due to shrinkage) but i really don't know that for a fact.
     
    judy, cxgirl and bluumz like this.
  7. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Very nice bowl, Bluumz!
     
    judy and bluumz like this.
  8. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    Thanks! I've been reading that being out of round indicates age... but how much age, I don't know.
    I live in Michigan and there was a company in Munising, MI that made bowls as well as other wooden products, from 1911-55. Munising (pronounced MEW-niss-ing) often worked in bird's eye maple and the earliest bowls (1910s) were not marked. However, I can't find any of their examples that had a rim as mine does.

    Edit: I just found a smaller Munising bowl with a rim here! It has the straight block lettering brand that the company used in the 1920s when they first started marking their items. A slanted script brand was used from approximately mid-30s. I suppose I'll never be sure, but it does seem possible that my bowl could be a 1910s Munising bowl, or possibly by its predecessor in Kalkaska, MI, the Freeman Manufacturing Co.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2018
    antidiem, judy, cxgirl and 1 other person like this.
  9. gauntlettgems

    gauntlettgems Well-Known Member

    Wow!!! Gorgeous
     
    bluumz and judy like this.
  10. James Conrad

    James Conrad Well-Known Member

    I think that's right as you are in Mich. I don't think there being no tool/lathe marks is that big a deal, birdseye maple tends to be very hard and finishes/polishes to an almost stone like surface plus i would guess birdseye would most likely be a deluxe model of bowl, leading to extra care when being made.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted
Similar Threads: bird’s maple
Forum Title Date
Antique Discussion N.H.L. Silver Plate - Toronto Maple Leafs J.P. Bickell Sep 26, 2020
Antique Discussion Federal Maple Table Sep 28, 2019
Antique Discussion Maple Side Table Chest Feb 7, 2019
Antique Discussion Birdseye Maple turned wood lidded container - is it antique? Beehive form? Apr 10, 2017

Share This Page