Purpleheart Bowl

This is a purpleheart bowl, hand-turned and finished with mineral oil and beeswax for a food-safe finish, 8" diameter, 2" depth. Yes, that is its actual natural color, with no stain.

Purpleheart, also sometimes called amaranth or violet wood, comes from several species of tropical trees native to Central and South America. The heartwood is a light purple when cut, and darkens upon exposure to sunlight, reaching first a darker purple and eventually a brown with a purple cast. It is hard and strong, and takes attention when turning, requiring sharp tools, gentle cuts, and a LOT of sanding. An interesting side note: every kind of wood smells different when turned. Maple smells kind of like pancake syrup, mesquite like warm raw meat, walnut like something sour. Well, the dust and shavings from this wood at first smelled kind of sweet, but as I kept smelling it as I was working, it started to smell more meaty, and then kind of like sweet warm old meat. Yuck. Wikipedia says the dust can cause nausea. I can see that. Don't worry, the finished work is scentless.

I wanted to try a more artsy form, less practical with this one for two reasons - one is because I've been wanting to try this brimmed form and see how it would look, and also I could use the wood from the sides under the brim to make some pens and a pencil (future project). As with any nicely-turned wood bowl, it feels great to hold and stroke, and as with all of my bowls, it's ready to use or show. Price as shown: $36. Or as with other open-form bowls, you pick the wood, and add to that $1 per each square inch of profile and I'll make it per your order.