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Natural Edge Bowl
Spalted English Boxwood

All of the stock for my boxwood pieces have come from a private estate on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Due to the horrendous and record-breaking drought of 2002 and other extreme conditions over the last few years, many of these magnificent, slow growing specimens of true English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens, var. "Suffruticosa") have been sadly dying off. Most boxwood used in wood-turning these days is South American or West Indian boxwood (Gossypiospermum praecox) or at best, European Boxwood, which can grow as tall as 20 feet. Only the true English Boxwood (that has been used since ancient times) is so slow growing that mature plants are rarely over 4 feet tall and trunk diameters of over 4" are rare in this country.

This natural-edge bowl has a wall-thickness of less than 1/16 of an inch and weighs less then 2 ounces. The estimated age of the boxwood log from which this bowl was made is between 65 and 70 years old. The availability of raw material of this nature and quality is extremely rare, and its falling in my hands is something I see as the positive side of Mother Nature's extreme behavior. The very fine and dense grain, beautiful coloration and the bright chatoyancy of the wood made turning this unique piece an unadulterated pleasure.