Green Box Elder Burl Shot Glass (Stabilized, Hand-Shaped)
Dimensions: Approx. 2 3/4" tall × 1 1/2" diameter
This shot glass was one of Dan’s earliest hand-shaped pieces—crafted before the lathe, before the catalog, before the business had a name. Formed with an angle grinder and refined through hours of sanding, it carries the marks of a maker learning through touch, patience, and trial. A similar piece lives in Dan’s personal collection, and another was among his very first sales—a quiet milestone that helped turn a passion into a path.
The wood is stabilized box elder burl, dyed green to highlight its swirling grain and natural voids. Though box elder is often overlooked, it belongs to the maple family—a fact that adds a layer of quiet prestige to its humble origins. The burl’s figure is unpredictable and expressive, and in this early piece, it taught lessons that still shape Dan’s process today: how to finish with care, how to listen to the material, and how to let the grain lead.
Finished with polymerized walnut oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax, the surface is smooth and sealed, ready to serve. It’s a vessel that holds more than liquid—it holds memory, momentum, and the beginning of a craft that’s still unfolding.
