For the sportsman … a stunning Scottish lignum vitae lawn bowl, marked “Thomas Taylor Glasgow”, possibly from the 1920s. Measuring 5” across and with a center medallion engraved “ABN,” it weighs a hefty 3 pounds 3 oz. This is an extremely tactile object, highly polished, and beautiful to hold, as was its design. Would display wonderfully on a desk or bookshelf.
One of the hardest and heaviest of all woods, Lignum Vitae is prized for its durability and polish (the wood has an extremely high oil content.) It is now extremely rare and, as a result, modern bowls are constructed mainly from synthetic materials. Traditional bowls were meticulously hand-turned and carved, and are heavier to one side so that they turn when rolled (referred to as the “bias”). For its age, this particular bowl is a stunning example of its craft.
Regulation lawn bowls are required to be re-tested and re-stamped at least once every 10 years. This particular bowl shows two official stamps, one worn and illegible, the other marked 1957. A further date stamp of “33” (below the “4” medallion) suggests the bowl was manufactured ten years earlier, in 1923.
Thomas Taylor Bowls Limited (now Taylor Bowls) is a Scottish family-owned business established in Glasgow in 1796 and the oldest bowls manufacturer in the world.
Dimensions: 5” diameter Condition Notes: Minor scratching consistent with age. See photos for more detail or contact us with questions.
