Suggested reading about bowl "styles"?

[Brian Tymchak]

Hi All,

Was just reading another thread in which one responder commented about if the bowl featured in the thread was a "Calabash" bowl. Not having a clue what a Calabash bowl is, I got me to thinking about whether there are any books, web sites, etc, that would help a newbie, such as I, to learn about bowl styles. Can anyone offer up suggestions along these lines?

Thanks, Brian

[Larry Lilly]

Iam with you. I have no clue what a calabash bowl is. When I mount a blank on the lathe, I hope it looks like a bowl when its done. Cant always guarantee what shape it will be, what kind of base, what size of opening, what hidden grasin is inside, but that is what makes it enjoyable.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Try any of the books by Richard Raffan on bowl turning, but especially his latest book - The Art of the Bowl.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Not having a clue what a Calabash bowl is, I got me to thinking about whether there are any books, web sites, etc, that would help a newbie, such as I, to learn about bowl styles. Can anyone offer up suggestions along these lines?


Okay, this is only what I know. The "Hawaiian" calabash is a loose term. Typically to a semi closed bowl, with or without a cover. There are many "shapes". They all have names. There is no single "calabash" shape. The only reference I know of, is a book by Irving Jenkins, The Hawaiian Calabash. It is LONG out of print, (1985). There will be no reprint. You can get used copies (I got mine) from Amazon. In that book, there is probably all there is to know, and whatever is not in there, is now lost.

[Roger Hirlinger]

Here's some info from Pat Kramer on the history and culture surrounding Hawaiian calabash bowls.

http://www.patkramer.net/html/traditional_bowls.html (http://www.patkramer.net/html/traditional_bowls.html)

[Jim Burr]

Mike Mahoney does a Calabash bowl in his Bowl Turning DVD. +a billion on anything Richard Raffin does...he is about as dry and funny as they come!

[Prashun Patel]

If yr looking for a good overview of possible forms, check out Raffans, "The Art of Turned Bowls". This book will show you the basics of conventional bowl design including rims and feet. One of the best things is if you harvest yr own logs, it has a good tutorial on how to cut a green log into a bowl blank.

If yr looking for a history and definition of bowls and forms, like what an amphora or calabash or hubbly bubbly is, then this book won't be much help.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Brian,
A calabash is a round bottom bowl, usually quite deep, that has a rim diameter lesser than the major diameter of the bowl. They are modeled after the lower portion of a gord. Prashun is correct that the Raffan book is quite good but limited to Richard's ideas about what constitutes a proper bowl. He is a master, so who can argue. If you pick up "500 Wood Bowls" - that's the name of the book, not a turners exercise program - you will see 500 examples of fine work ranging from wood art to highly useful bowls. In fact, buy both books. They are the beginning of a wonderful collection of eye candy.
faust

[Brian Tymchak]

Thank you all for your suggestions and the background on Calabash bowls. Several of you mentioned Raffans Book so taking Faust's suggestion, I have both the Raffan book and the 500 Wood Bowls book on their way. I also tossed in "Woodturning Design: Using Shape, Proportion, and Decoration" by Derek Hayes. (Was a suggestion that popped up and seemed interesting.) The Hawaiian Calabash book that Kyle mentioned has a pretty hefty price tag ($175 - :eek:) at Amazon. I'll put that on my watch list for now. Maybe I'll convince myself that it's a collectors item..

Roger - thanks for the link to Pat Kramer's site. That looks like some good lunch-time reading!

Jim - thanks for the suggestion of Mike Mahoney's video. Took a quick look at his website. Some really nice pieces there! I'll check out his videos a bit more at lunch time.


If yr looking for a history and definition of bowls and forms, like what an amphora or calabash or hubbly bubbly is, then this book won't be much help.

Prashun, a history and definition of bowls and forms is in fact what I'm really after. ;) ... didn't realize one could turn a "hubbly bubbly" bowl from a chunk of a tree.. :D

Again, thanks to all. Looks like a good start to my "bowls" education.

[Robert Henrickson]

The Hawaiian Calabash book that Kyle mentioned has a pretty hefty price tag ($175 - :eek:) at Amazon. I'll put that on my watch list for now. Maybe I'll convince myself that it's a collectors item..

Use interlibrary loan at your local public library -- you should be able to get it for a month or more. You can figure out whether it really is worth having.

[Brian Tymchak]

Use interlibrary loan at your local public library -- you should be able to get it for a month or more. You can figure out whether it really is worth having.

Robert, great idea! Thanks! Quite honestly, I bet it's been 20 years since I've used a public library... Kind of a sad statement.. :(