Norway Maple Cut Rim Bowl

This bowl is made of Norway maple from the region of the stump. The folding of the wood fibers accounts for the dramatic figure in the wood. It has been said that Stradivarius used Norway maple in the construction of his famous violins and cellos.

This bowl is approximately 13 inches wide by 6 inches high. It is not often that I come across wood as fine as this and it is a great joy to work with it. It was given to me by a man in Maryland. His father planted the tree about 70 years ago as an ornamental yard tree. It was sad for him that the tree died but now it has gotten a second life as an art object.

At the top right of the bowl there is an area which was just underneath the bark and you can appreciate the wavy nature of the wood fibers. When you cut through such an area you intersect the wood fibers at all different angles. Light reflected from these different angles gives the appearance of light and dark bands.