Hawaiian
Early 19th century
Kou wood (Cordia subcordata)
Height: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm); Diameter: 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
The umeke, or wooden poi bowl, was a personal eating vessel in Hawaiian domestic life, with individual bowls often maintained across generations within a family. Kou wood was among the most valued materials for Hawaiian vessels, prized for its fine grain, warm color, and workability. This example dates to the early nineteenth century and comes from a private Honolulu collection.
The bowl is turned to a rounded profile with a broad, stable base and smoothly finished interior, the proportions consistent with a single-user poi bowl rather than a communal vessel. Several native repairs are present, including a butterfly repair on the exterior wall, indicating the bowl was valued sufficiently to warrant careful mending during its period of use. The kou has developed a deep amber patina across the full surface through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hawaiian
Early 19th century
Kou wood (Cordia subcordata)
Height: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm); Diameter: 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
The umeke, or wooden poi bowl, was a personal eating vessel in Hawaiian domestic life, with individual bowls often maintained across generations within a family. Kou wood was among the most valued materials for Hawaiian vessels, prized for its fine grain, warm color, and workability. This example dates to the early nineteenth century and comes from a private Honolulu collection.
The bowl is turned to a rounded profile with a broad, stable base and smoothly finished interior, the proportions consistent with a single-user poi bowl rather than a communal vessel. Several native repairs are present, including a butterfly repair on the exterior wall, indicating the bowl was valued sufficiently to warrant careful mending during its period of use. The kou has developed a deep amber patina across the full surface through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
