Indian Butter Churn / Vessel

Raw splintery grain and a split lid-ring, plus two tiny stub feet.

This wooden butter churn or vessel is from Himachal Pradesh, India, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. Himachal Pradesh lies in the western Himalaya, where dairying has long been part of village life and butter is a valued food and trade good. Tall rough-hewn cylinder with long vertical splits and pale gray weathering over warm orange-tan grain. A thick cap ring with a crack circles the top, and small stubby feet protrude at the base. It is 22.5 inches high and 10 in diameter.

Unpolished, uncombed, and entirely convincing as it stands.