It is just a pleasure to present this next offering that reminds me of something that is appropriately fitting for a Root Cellar and was designed with this theme in mind. It is about 90 degrees here today in California and a cool cellar sounds pretty good right about now!
This gathering includes the bucket dressed in "root" attire, the burlap top with sweet make ~ do repairs and a stoneware bowl filled with beans and paired up with a turned wooden spoon.
I was able to find an interesting barrel that peaked my interest at an estate sale in my neighborhood. We are actually five minutes from the college UCLA and this woman's son was in a fraternity. The barrel was stenciled with the letters of this fraternity and the year however this barrel is older than "1966". See image 15.
The barrel has a warm nutmeg hue and sports three metal bands that overlap and are secured by rivets. The wooden staves are tight and stay put quite nicely. Dark wear can be seen on all of the bands sprinkled randomly throughout as shown in images 16, 18 & 22.
One of the bands located at the top does have some end play of about an inch but is still sturdy. The other bands are tight and secure. There are also some dark patterns in the wood that form upside down "V's referenced on the right in image 16, but can be seen more clearly in image 21 located in the middle area then off to the left. Image 24 shows an area near the bottom that has a rough surface but also lends so much character.
There is plenty of nice consistent wear and patina throughout that should delight and satisfy your primitive style of decorating.
I fashioned a top for the barrel from an old burlap grain sack and added two "make ~ do" repairs to create a little whimsy! I chose this burlap because of the black writing on it that I thought would be a good fit for the cover. A hole is located in the top cover of the barrel so I cut the burlap to accommodate this area. A portion of a tree branch rescued after a winter storm acts as another "make ~ do" piece to plug up this hole. The barrel is in very good condition without any cracks or chips to report. A wooden plug fits snug as a bug located at the bottom of the barrel as referenced in image 23.
A fresh string bean garland was added off to the right while a pear and small dipper gourd hang off to the left. These accents really brighten up the barrel with color and "root cellar" charm! The string bean garland was attached by using the excess end of the string and wrapping it around the top rivet several times to keep it in place as shown in image 26. I fashioned a little eye hook from wire and the other piece of string was just tied in the loop to form a bow. The wire hangs over the top of the barrel as referenced in image 27. These fresh "Leather Britches" will shrink about half the size when dried.
A hole was drilled in the dipper gourd to accommodate a piece of twisted wire that loops over the top edge of the barrel so it can be hung. See image 30. The pear gourd was wrapped several times with string over the neck of the first gourd. This duo is paired up for life and just as happy as they can be as shown in images 28 & 29!
I was actually going to use this fabulous stoneware bowl and spoon for another gathering but it fit so perfectly on top of the barrel because of the size, I just had to offer this here. I have to tell you that this bowl is really special and I have the other one that I will cherish forever. I have never seen bowls like these and the color along with the way these pieces were fired is so exciting!
I am calling this an Albany Slip style glaze because it boasts a beautiful chocolate brown color however it does not have any Albany clay in it that I am aware of. Authentic Albany slip glaze was made from a natural clay found in New York during the early 19th century. Slip glaze is a potters term for a glaze made from clay mixed with water. Albany slip glaze is termed for it's deep brown color and can be found in earthenware, stoneware and salt ~ glazed pottery pieces during this period. Albany slip was commonly used as an interior glaze on salt ~ glazed pottery because it was not only durable but decorative as well. It melted smoothly to form an impervious glass coating that was desirable for liquids and also could be cleaned with ease.
Images 32, 33 & 34 represent the beautiful firing on the outside surface that shows an array of brown earth tones at it's best! Mixes of light and dark areas are consistent throughout which seems to draw us in for yet another look! The inside of this bowl portrays a glass chocolate brown finish but yet has some wear near the top edge. See image 35, 36 & 37.
Don't even get me started on the desirable milk bowl shape that is just so neat but the best attribute is the diminutive size! This bowl also has unique "ribbing" on the outside near the bottom. Very little information was found on this piece that is marked, "Neu Deel Cookin Ware" but from further research this piece was made in the 1930's. There are further marks on the bottom ribbing, "Patent" ..the rest is illegible, & "Off" as referenced in image 39. This bowl is in very good condition without any cracks or chips to report. I added some soup beans that are also included with the bowl. The primitive rainbow colors of the beans placed inside against the chocolate ground are very complimentary indeed!
What are the chances of finding a small primitive spoon to accent this bowl? I guess I was pretty lucky because I found a mustard spoon with wonderful patina that has French origin and is in excellent condition. The turnings on this spoon lend oodles of character and the dark wear in the bowl could not be any better as shown in images 40 & 41.
This unusual gathering is ready to set out as soon as you receive it and can be enjoyed immediately. What a fun piece to decorate with and can be used in your Pantry ~ Buttery or would even be darling next to a ladder-back chair to act as a side table. Dressed with primitive root cellar charm this offering will not only add whimsy to the inside of your homestead but can also be used outdoors on your front porch! Enjoy!
The barrel stands almost 15" tall, is 9 1/2" across the top & 9 1/2" across the bottom. The String Bean Garland measures 5" Long by 6" @ the tallest point. The combination of gourds are 5 1/2" Tall & 4 1/2" across. The burlap cover measures 9" across & 9" Tall. Stoneware bowl is 4 1/2" across, stands 2 1/2" Tall and measures 3 1/4" across the bottom. Wooden Mustard Spoon is 4" Tall, a little over 1/4" @ the widest point across the handle & the bowl is 1/2" across.
