• The Long Game Bigleaf Maple Burl shot glass with bold dark spalting through warm amber burl figure
  • The Long Game showing clustered Bigleaf Maple burl eyes, dark natural spalting, and warm brown figure
  • The Long Game shot glass with a strong vertical spalting line dividing contrasting Bigleaf Maple burl figure
  • The Long Game showing dense rounded burl figure across a warm amber-brown face
  • Alternate side of The Long Game with rippled burl figure, small burl eyes, and dark spalting
  • Opening view of The Long Game showing the rounded figured rim and dark traditional shot-glass interior
  • Bottom view of The Long Game showing warm Bigleaf Maple burl end grain crossed by dark spalting
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The Long Game — Bigleaf Maple Burl Shot Glass

The Long Game — Bigleaf Maple Burl Shot Glass

Spalted Bigleaf Maple Burl · Stabilized · One of One

$82.00 USD
$82.00 USD
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Shipping calculated at checkout.

The Long Game — Bigleaf Maple Burl Shot Glass

Story / Provenance

Some wood is won twice: first in the moment, then through patience.

The larger cut behind this piece came from a live auction hosted by Rogers Redwood BURL. It was the second online wood-auction purchase made for the Gentry Crafted shop and the first Bigleaf Maple burl endcap added to the wood collection.

The winning bid required its own bit of judgment. While attending a St. Louis Battlehawks game, the auction stream appeared to be running roughly 10 to 15 seconds behind. Waiting for the visible countdown would have been too late. The bid had to be placed according to where the auction probably was rather than where the screen said it was.

The timing worked.

That purchase became several earlier vessels—some given as gifts, some kept for a growing personal collection, and others offered through Gentry Crafted. This particular section remained behind, waiting for the skill and confidence needed to carry it safely through stabilization and onto the lathe.

About This Piece

Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) earns its name. Native to the Pacific Northwest, it bears leaves that can reach approximately 12 inches across and grows into what the National Park Service identifies as North America’s tallest maple. Its scale can feel almost oversized, even among other maples. Learn more about Bigleaf Maple.

This shot glass makes the opposite journey: a small vessel carrying an unexpectedly large visual statement.

Dark lines of spalting travel through tightly gathered burl figure, separating fields of warm amber and brown. Nothing was added to create that contrast. The wood was personally vacuum-stabilized without dye because it had no need for embellishment.

Earlier work with this burl also carried an important lesson. Figure alone does not make a dependable drinking vessel. The material must be sufficiently sound, properly dried, and prepared for its intended use. Rather than risk the remaining wood before the process was understood, stabilization waited until each stage—from moisture removal through vacuum treatment and curing—could be approached with confidence.

The form reflects the same restraint. A more elaborate interior would have consumed valuable space within an already narrow blank. There are moments to experiment and moments to trust a simple, solid plan. This was a piece worth protecting. Its traditional interior and quiet cylindrical form leave the complexity where it belongs—in the wood itself.

Details

Wood: Spalted Bigleaf Maple Burl (Acer macrophyllum)
Source: Burl endcap acquired from Rogers Redwood BURL in California
Dimensions: Approx. 3-1/16 inches tall × 1-7/16 inches wide
Construction: Hand-turned, one of one
Interior: Traditional shot-glass form
Wood treatment: Personally vacuum-stabilized
Color: Natural—no dye
Finish: Walnut oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax
Care: Hand wash only; do not soak or place in a dishwasher
Collection: The Gathering

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