Maple Vase — Tall Spalted Knot Form

In the home

Standing 12 inches tall with a slender 5.5-inch waist, this hollow vessel makes a striking vertical statement. The elegant, tapering curve gently swells into a rounded shoulder before sweeping into a small, crisp neck opening.

Designed strictly for dry display, it holds tall dried botanicals, branches, or peacock feathers with ease. Elevated on a fireplace mantel, bookshelf, or sideboard, its dramatic height and dark knot features capture attention from anywhere in the room.

Wood, shape, and finish

The character of this piece stems from a large, dark natural branch knot near the upper shoulder, surrounded by delicate black spalted zone lines trailing through pale maple heartwood. Hollow-turning a tall vessel with natural knot inclusions requires steady lathe speed and hollowing tools to navigate density variations across the wall.

I kept the outer profile clean and understated, allowing the vertical grain flow and knot eyes to dominate the composition. As you rotate the vase, smaller knot eyes and dark spalting streaks create a distinct visual composition from every angle.

The vase is finished with multiple coats of polymerized tung oil. Tung oil penetrates deep into the grain to emphasize the contrast between the pale wood and dark knot eyes, curing into a durable, soft-sheen satin finish. Because solid wood vessels are porous and should not hold standing water, use this vase for dried florals or dry arrangement displays only.

Explore more

• Wood Species Guide: Cherry, Maple, Walnut & Ash compares maple with darker turning woods.
• What is Spalted Wood? explains the natural fungal lines and figure found in maple.
• Wood Bowl Finishes Explained covers polymerized tung oil and protective finishes.
• Browse all maple turning projects to see more vases, hollow forms, and bowls.