Bell Bowl #19

- Nicholas Duval-Smith

Bell Bowl no. 19 is part of a series that started 22 years ago, when Nicholas was commissioned to make a bronze bird bath. The night before Nicholas sent the finished work, it was sitting on a fire escape. It was raining, and a drip was hitting the lip of the bird bath, producing a very soft ring. This inspired Nicholas to make thinner bowls that would sound as bells.

It's important to note that this is the only artist's proof Nicholas will make, from an original edition of 10, so this is the very last BB no. 19 available. It was the pattern the foundry used to make the edition, which Nicholas recently finished with patina , and this explains the big date range on the base.

The mallet is made of driftwood found on Raumanuka beach in Motueka, and is rata. Nicholas deliberately left burn marks from the angle grinder in the upper section as part of the fade from artificial to natural.

The Bell should be struck with the raised area at the top left pf the mallet, hitting the outer surface of the Bell, close to the rim. The rim itself is glided with 24k gold leaf, and should not be struck or rubbed. The note the Bell produces changes slightly depending on where you strike it. The original was made in Oamaru stone (see more about the making process here: https://duvalsmith.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/about-the-bell-bowl-series/

Made of Bronze with a 24ct gold rim.

Dimensions:

Bowl: Width - 330mm x Height - 140mm x Depth - 275mm

Mallet: Width - 70mm x Height - 390mm x Depth - 90mm