English Ash St. Paul’s Cathedral Oak Urn

£750

1 in stock

Artist: Phil Irons

This English Ash urn celebrates the natural beauty of the wood. Phil enhanced the grain with colour, while leaving select panels bare to showcase the timber’s inherent charm. These sections were then delicately chip-carved, further revealing the wood’s natural hues.

The threaded lid tells a unique story. Crafted from oak, it was once a spoke supporting the bell-ringing ropes in St. Paul’s Cathedral. During the extensive 2017 restoration, the bell tower’s wooden components were replaced. Thankfully, the Worshipful Company of Turners, of which Phil is a proud member, acquired some of these historic timbers, including the very spoke this lid originated from.

Approximate dimensions:

Height: 30cm
Width: 16cm
Internal volume: 3.2L

artist

Phil Irons

Phil Irons, an Australian-born woodturner, discovered his passion at thirteen on his father's antique lathe. After spending time in the travel industry, he returned to woodturning full-time in 1994. His expertise in English timber comes from years as a tree surgeon. Phil's best-selling book "Woodturning: Two in One" showcases his signature style: vessels and hollow forms with clean lines, often accentuated by natural wood features and subtle dyes. Adding threaded lids transforms these into beautiful, functional urns, a specialty sought after worldwide.

Phil finds deep meaning in creating "functional art" for such a personal purpose. He is a past president of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain and a member of the American Association of Woodturners.

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