Noteworthy Sale: Robert Young Antiques by Staff from Antiques & Fine Art magazine

Sold to a private collector
at the Winter Antiques Show
Medieval-Form Lobed Quatrefoil Bride's Bowl
Norwegian, early 18th century
Birch; Diam.: 4-1/2 inches
Provenance: Jonathan Levi Collection.
Illustrated in his reference work
Treen for The Table (1998)
Courtesy of Robert Young Antiques, London, England

This delightful bowl is dug out and carved from a solid piece of birch burl; lobed examples are incredibly rare. It retains traces of painted decoration and untouched color. It bears the initials "AL" on the underside of the base.
The origins of this piece descended directly from the Vikings, where the consuming of alcohol was historically an important part of the wedding ceremony in Norske Folklore. By tradition, after a bride left a church she would sit side saddle on a bedecked horse and be served alcohol from a specially commissioned bowl such as this. She would then make her way to the celebration party.