Butter Dish with Antique Lid is part of a series of 40 antique European and Asian lids. Made in the 1700 and 1800’s they are missing bases. This lid is European and the overall size is 5.5 inches by 1.25 high. The wood is maple that uses pyrography and paint with acrylic dots to match the lid pattern. This was a two year journey developing a wood base for each lid. There are an infinite amount of design decisions and choices to be made.
Antiquing Find
My wife and I were weekend antiquing and we came across these lids missing bases. Curious as to why the lids are on display, the shop owner explains that traders have drawers filled with lids hoping to find a matching base. I tell him that I am a woodturner and promise to make new bases for the lids. He agrees to sell me eight pieces. When I return a few weeks later I show him the results and gift him the one he favors the most.
I ask to purchase the remaining lids. He basically gifts them to me with the promise that I show him the developing series. If you like Butter Dish with Antique Lid here is a link to another piece in the series Springtime Bowl
Unique Gift Ideas
Take a look in my Etsy store for a one of a kind gift idea.
Studio
I design and produce my items in my Montvale, New Jersey, USA studio. My favorite machine is the Robust wood lathe with three horsepower. I can turn a two hundred pound log down to a twenty pound stool. Once the form is complete I will spend as much time at the workbench doing finishing work to complete the decoration. Some of the secondary operations include pyrography which is branding wood with symbols, carving, staining and painting.