Ebay can be great! :) few pics...

[Bradley666]

Ok so many of you know that I have been on the hunt for a (small) Tanoa/kava bowl...
I bought a very small 5" one thinking it just might be big enough for just me but not even close! lol..way to small and the stain they used ran right off the wood
That was about $40, working on getting that sent back...since then I have been browsing ebay constantly, also doing google searches just trying to find a place that sold
8-10" kava bowls that wouldn't cost a small fortune!
Well on ebay, I search for "kava bowl" and theres always some for sure..even some rather beautiful ones! Most are $200+ ..some are crazy old artifacts that are
$1500 bucks or more...
So while browsing handmade wooden bowls, I saw a new item that appeared to be just posted..
Because the description wasn't "kava bowl", I never saw it...and I'm guessing nobody else did either because someone would have got it before me at this price...
It was listed as a tribal bowl, lol...I quickly smiled and started clicking fast and getting excited
As soon as I saw the pics and the price, I ordered as fast as I could before I lost it!
This seller obviously had no idea what he had because it was listed at $12 bucks, with about $10 shipping...
It's great condition, looks like it hasn't been used much at all, and its a nice black finish, even with some etching on the rim of the bowl...and best of all is the size,
I am only one person and will only be needing enough kava for myself as I don't know anyone else around me that knows about kava lol...
Looks to be about 8-9" maybe? Looks like it will hold plenty for my needs! I even gave my kid knucks and said oh ya! haha...
Heres few pics, this worth $20 bucks shipped?

 

[nabanga]

It would have cost more than $20 from the Fiji handicraft shop - good buy!
I have a bit of a collection of old and modern kava bowls, and a good source of newer one is the new Zealand auction site www.trademe.co.nz
Strictly speaking it is domestic only, but many sellers will take credit cards and post international if you ask them in advance. A standard 12"-15" bowl can usually be had for around US$50.

 

[Bradley666]

Awesome
I did look on a few of those auction sites, seems like they sell fast and still some fetch a high price lol..the older the more money,
The description for this bowl just read tribal bowl for decoration or salad, lol....I was like, this guy obviously has no idea!
I would have easily paid 50+ for this bowl if that was the price, just because I have not been able to find one this nice and be the size I needed!
So I'm happy with the purchase, gona give it a nice scrubbing with some soap or something when it gets here cuz not sure where it came from and
what its been through lol....

 

[The Kap'n]

Yep, you purchased wisely. That's a beautiful piece.

 

[Bradley666]

Thanks Kapmcrunk, yup I like it allot and can't wait to get it
Just looked up tracking number and although I thought it originally said it will be here next Tuesday,
Looks like seller mailed it 3 day priority so its set to be delivered Friday, just in time for the weekend!
Does anyone think soap and warm water would clean this up nicely or would it ruin the finish? something else I should use?
I think after it's cleaned out with soap and water I could probably just use water, just don't want to mess it up lol...

 

[nabanga]

These smaller souvenir type bowls are stained to give more contrast to the etching, whereas the larger plain bowls made specifically for prep are not stained. It may be a harmless, natural stain (like from burying in mangrove mud) but it might not. I would fill it with water and leave it for a day or two, changing the water every 12 hours. This will bring most of the stain out from the inside so it doesn't taint your kava. The finish on the inside is going to go anyway after you have used it a few times.

 

[Bradley666]

Thanks for the info nabanga!
I'v even seen some that look just like this smaller one but bigger, like 12-15" for sale at kava venders off google searches,
I would assume those are for prep as well, even though there stained? I have read alot of stains they used in Fuji ect use earthy, muds, dirts or plants..those sound
fairly safe, but I definitely want to make sure the stain is natural and safe for using! Not sure if they use a black stain that stays put and is natural?

 

[nabanga]

Hi Bradley, yes you can buy all sizes of kava bowls of a similar style of yours in the markets in Apia, Suva & Nukualofa and the etched ones are always stained to make the design stand out. These bowls are sold in handicraft shops and I would guess that the majority of people buying them are not going to use them for kava when they get home but more as a decorative bowl souvenir - but of course there is no reason why they shouldn't be used for prep. Traditionally the bowls used do not have the etched patterns but I quite like them. I have about 10 that I have collected from both Polynesia and artefact auctions over the last 15 years or so - some old, some modern. The one I use for kava is similar to yours but 15", and is also stained. I got it from the market in Apia and they tod me the stain was natural mud, but many bowls made for sale on the tourist market are not dyed traditionally, especially in Fiji, and a chemical stain is used, so still worth giving it a soak just in case.

Heres my biggest one, 3 foot diameter..

And the 15" one I use - note the loss of stain inside

 

[Bradley666]

Awesome
Good info!
Man thats a big kava bowl! lol...There both nice looking for sure
I actually like the sound of the natural mud stained ones, natural is always better in my book
When I get the bowl I will check it out and give it a through cleaning and see how it reacts with water, but that soaking method might be a good idea for a few days
regardless because like you said, I dont want any tainted kava! lol

 

[nabanga]

Just one more...
I saw these at an exhibition in Tonga yesterday - from the Palace collection. Nice.

 

[Bradley666]

wowsa!

 

[Bradley666]

Ok so just heard a knock on my door,opened it up to find the kava bowl here already!
Was shipped 3 days, and actually got it on time before the crazy weekend comes around lol...
It is down right pretty in person! hehe...For what little money I spent on this kava bowl ($20 shipped)...I am more then pleased!
I would have easily paid $75 for this, just because it is exactly what I wanted from a kava bowl..it can hold 4 cups of water total, but I usually only
use 2...3 max, and with 3 cups of water in it, its still low enough that my 2 hands fit perfectly inside for the kava kneading
The stain is great, and after giving the bowl a nice gentle scrubbing using just my hands and tiny amount of soap, it is perfect condition..
I don't see any dings or den'ts or cracks, the stain looks dark and perfect through out the bottom and inside..
I didn't noticed any coloring/stain coming from the inside at all, what ever stain the used seems like its on there pretty good...
Either way after a quick wash I have it sitting on the table full of water just to see what if any stain will come out of the wood...
The picture did not do it justice!!! pics later!

 

[Bradley666]

hey nabanga,
So yesterday around noon time I filled the new kava bowl with water and let it sit while we did a big day by the water, we came back about 8 hours later...
I dumped the water out to re-fill it with some clean water ect...and noticed some light thin hairlike cracks that seemed to start on the design area of the rim and travel under the bowl,and also on inside of bowl...there not big or anything, literally like 2 cracks in opposite ends of the bowl,
Obviously this shocked me and at first I was like wtf is going on here?!
I'm only guessing the bowl "however old" must have never been used, and just stored completely dry for its whole like? then the water made it crack? Any ideas?
I don't know a ton about wood but just putting 2 and 2 together lol...
Also we went to walmart to pick up a few things, I bought a small tube of the wood filler for cracks ect...it looked like the best stuff they had an it actually worked great!
I just squeezed it onto the tiny cracks and rubbed it different directions until both cracks were sealed, can barley tell
I let it sit over night and not I have a little bit of water in the bowl sitting,because I did notice just a tiny bit of color coming from the inside of the bowl when wiped with paper towel,
so was thinking I will let it sit again,this time not full to the top but half way or so, and keep an eye on it? this a good idea?
I don't want the bowl to crack or break of course but I also don't want even a little stain in my kava lol...
Thanks for any help!

 

[nabanga]

Hi Bradley,

I think like you say the bowl had never been wet before, and soaking it caused more water absorption in some parts of the bowl to others, causing the fine cracks. The radial cracks are also common in old bowls that have been used for years then stored.
Once your bowl reaches an "equilibrium" of moisture content with regular use it should become stable with no new cracks.
I have had bowls and other wooden items from the Pacific crack when I have taken them back to our house in Laos, just from the change in ambient humidity.
Hopefully yours will stay kava-tight!

 

[Bradley666]

lol ok makes sense to me!
Thanks again for the info, I looked the bowl over again last night and decided one more tiny coating of the filler wouldn't hurt..
Now every little crack is filled...theres only 2 cracks but the go from the under side,over the rim and then down in to bowl...although like I said there
the size of a piece of hair lol, Im not even sure it would have leaked since they were so small...but I bet the would have continued to crack, this filler says it resist
cracking, and its stain-able if I wanted it not as noticeable but since this bowl will be for use, and it was 20 bucks shipped to my door, I am not to worried at all...
I really don't think I ever would have found a better or nicer one, this size for cheaper then I spent lol...
I just measured it, comes to exactly 8" for the inside of the bowl, and 10" from rim to rim..looks like the rim itself is about an inch wide, so perfect for adding the tribal
etchings Hopefully after some time and use, the bowl will get use to the water again and then we will be golden lol...

 

[Bradley666]

Ok so got the bowl all cleaned up,small hair line cracks sealed ect...wiped it all down real good and took some pics
The inside of bowl has lost a bit of color from leaving water in it when I got it but I haven't seen much of anything else come out in terms of stain...
Heres some pics!

 

[Bradley666]

Wonder if there's anyway to tell an idea of how old a kava bowl is?
Like is there any way at all to get an idea of the age, "maybe" from pictures alone?
The newer bowls I'v seen, look nice and clean looking..more perfect then the older style bowls,
I was first thinking my new bowl is a rather newer piece... but now I'm not sure? Looks like it's in
great condition but could possibly be 5-10 years old? who knows! lol ...guess kava bowls are a mystery!

 

[Carlos]

It would have cost more than $20 from the Fiji handicraft shop - good buy!
I have a bit of a collection of old and modern kava bowls, and a good source of newer one is the new Zealand auction site www.trademe.co.nz
Strictly speaking it is domestic only, but many sellers will take credit cards and post international if you ask them in advance. A standard 12"-15" bowl can usually be had for around US$50.

Hi! I live in Portugal and I am looking to buy a small Tanoa and other handicrafts from Wallis and Futuna. Can someone help me by informing me of a website where I can find it?

 

[Plantacious]

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No price for the cat ?