A Large Antique Woven Rye-Straw Bowl, Circa 1900

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Antique American Woven Rye Straw Bowl, Circa 1900–1920s
A wonderfully warm and organically beautiful example of early 20th century American … Read more Antique American Woven Rye Straw Bowl, Circa 1900–1920s
A wonderfully warm and organically beautiful example of early 20th century American folk craft, this generously proportioned woven rye straw bowl is a deeply appealing survivor of the Northeast's rich basket and straw weaving tradition — a tradition rooted in the practical necessities of agricultural life and elevated by the skill and patience of generations of American country craftspeople.
At 16½ inches across and 4½ inches tall this is an impressively scaled and visually commanding example of the form — large enough to have served as a substantial bread rising bowl, grain storage vessel, or harvest basket in an early American farmhouse kitchen, and large enough today to make a bold and beautiful decorative statement on a table, sideboard, or shelf. The natural rye straw has mellowed and darkened beautifully over its century of age, acquiring the warm honey and amber tones that only genuine old straw can produce, and the coiled construction displays the rhythmic, meditative craft of a maker thoroughly at home with their material and technique.
Some loss to the woven banding that binds the rye straw coils is honestly noted — an entirely expected and authentic consequence of a century of use and the natural aging of organic materials — and adds to rather than detracts from the piece's honest folk art character and appeal.
A beautiful, tactile, and genuinely American object that brings warmth and authenticity to any farmhouse, country, or natural interior.
Dimensions: 16.5" diameter × 4.5"H
Type: Coiled woven rye straw bowl
Origin: American, Northeastern states, Circa 1900–1920s
Condition: Some loss to woven banding consistent with age and use See less