Beautiful large black walnut bowl, 36 inches x 14 x 6.3'' tall, 10.8 lbs., custom made

Rarely am I able to find just the right piece of wood for an art treasure such as this unique black walnut bowl.  The wood came from a beautiful tree about 24 inches in diameter and 60 feet tall that unfortunately had to be removed to allow the widening of a city street in Oak Grove, Oregon.  I collected several special pieces from this tree in 1994 and let them cure in indoor storage prior to creating the bowl in 2024.  The knobs and grain figuring of this bowl make it especially attractive and unusual.   
The bowl has a twofold protective coat.  Both the inside and outside have been sealed with a special mix, then the outside was finished with 5 coats of a light oil-based varnish while, after sealing, the inside was coated with Howard's Butcher Block (a tasteless and odorless mix of food grade mineral oil & natural waxes).  Now that the  bowl is ready for use, both the inside and outside can be coated with Howard's Butcher Block.  
I hope you enjoy this sculpture as much as I enjoyed creating it for you and that it becomes a treasured family heirloom.  
Care of your Valuable Art piece:  
1.  The beauty of your art piece is best maintained by periodically gently removing dust with a very soft brush on a vacuum cleaner or a slightly damp dishcloth, and perhaps occasionally rejuvenating the finish with a very light coat of Howard's Butcher Block. 
2. The wood for this sculpture was cured until it reached a moisture content like that in most homes.  In some pieces, natural cracks have been filled and others have been retained to enhance the sculpture's design.  Occasionally, over time, cracks may change since indoor humidity levels vary considerably (e.g., residence, office, area of the country). 
3. Your art piece should NOT be displayed in direct sunlight (no wood likes direct sun) because strong light will fade its rich colors.  
4. If you have specific questions, feel free to call or email me:  rcpaulson@msn.com 
About Black Walnut:  
 This wood is quite strong, but it is relatively soft and can easily be dented with a fingernail scratch or sharp serving implement.     
       It is native to the eastern part of the U.S. (Vermont to the Great Plains and south to Louisiana and Texas.)  Because of the wood's beauty for furniture and people's love of the nuts, it is now found in many states.  
     Over the years, because of its attractive and often figured wood, people have used this wood for furniture, gun stocks, pianos, and art.  When working with the raw wood it is faintly but pleasantly aromatic, but the dust bothers some people's lungs.  
The best trees grow in the Ohio river valley, where they can reach 150 feet tall and 6-7 feet in diameter.  Even as early as 1949, high quality trees for lumber were becoming very difficult to find, due to over harvesting.  

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