This special, one of a kind offering will lend primitive charm to your pantry with exciting results! We certainly love collecting woodenware and this antique Walter Bakers Chocolate box is a perfect display for these smaller bowls that are also included.
This box dates to around the turn of the century and sports a dovetailed design on all four corners. I found some old molding that I sanded down to remove the white paint. These pieces were then antiqued and closely resemble the color on the box. Two pieces of molding were used to create each leg. I glued these pieces together because I wanted to achieve a well rounded form on the outside corners which adds subtle character to the overall look. See images 7, 8 & 9.
When I purchased this box it had a thick layer of dirt on the bottom so it had to be washed out. When this task was completed the veneer located on the bottom dried with some wavy areas that could not be helped as reflected in image 10. At least the box is clean and presentable!
There is also a split in the veneer located on the inside area at the bottom that runs in a vertical line as shown in images 11 & 12. Another crack can be found on the bottom of the box running in a horizontal position. See images 14 & 15. This box has a dry attic appearance with a great primitive look.
Image 4 reflects an area on the right hand side that is darker in color than the rest of the wood forming a circular pattern up at the top. Just to the left of this area near the bottom there is a small piece of wood that is raised and sticks out but is not clearly visible. There are whispers of "K L M" written in pencil up at the top in the same location.
A couple of knots appear on the front and back side of this piece. The stamped letters with the companies name done in black script are still strong and certainly do add wonderful character! The color variations lending both dark and light age related wear to the wood are proper and lend interest.
A small piece of wood is missing from the front right hand corner as referenced in image 8. Overall the box is in good condition incurring little bumps and bruises along the ways but not too bad for a piece that is over 100 years old!
I acquired a lovely maple bowl at market that has a wonderful oval shape. The side edges have a nice contour that tips upward and is also out of round. I oiled this bowl using mineral oil to bring out the nice honey color as well as the grain. Regarding images 20 & 21, this bowl has some discoloration on the back near the edge that is an oval shape.
The inside bottom is darker in color than the rest of the bowl and seems to work its way up forming two separate circles as shown in images 16 & 17. There are also two tiny dark marks, one on the inside and one on the top edge that appear to be consistent with the grain of the tree. This bowl displays well and does not have any cracks to report!
The other bowl I chose to include is marked, "Munising" and dates from around the 1930's to the 40's. This was made by "Munising Wood Products who were famous for making bowls during this era including some that were painted with fruit designs. The color this bowl lends is just fabulous as there are plenty of light and dark variations in the wood to keep everyone happy! This bowl is also out of round and compliments the other piece of treen quite nicely.
There are no cracks on this bowl to report and it is in good condition. The bottom is a little dry and the same hold true for a portion of the inside edge referenced in image 22 at the top middle and left area.
I am also including a garland that can grace the front of this box by adding a touch of natural flavor. I used orange slices, string beans, Sweet Annie, a gourd and a dried turnip that all lend interesting color and texture. I added two small nails in the front corners of this box to accommodate this garland but you can certainly remove the nails and hang the garland somewhere else if you chose.
This bowl holder would look awesome on a farmhouse table, kitchen counter or in a buttery! The size is great because it is not too large but yet is big on primitive charm! Enjoy!
The box measures 10 3/4" across (horizontal), 7 1/2" the other way (vertical), stands 5 1/4" tall & is 3 1/2" deep inside. The Munising Bowl measures almost 9" across, 8 3/4" the other way (vertical) & stands 2" tall. Oval bowl measures 9" across (horizontal, 8 1/2" across the other way (vertical) & stands 2" tall (End measurement) & 1 3/4" tall (Middle measurement). The garland is around 9" Long & is 4 1/2" @ the tallest point (Turnip measurement).
