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Difference between a bowl and a platter

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SteveCarter

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Hello,

What are the technical differences between a bowl and a platter. Someone told me that a bowl should be taller than it is wide and vice-versa for a platter, but that makes no sense to me!!


Thanks

Steve
 
SteveCarter said:
Hello,

What are the technical differences between a bowl and a platter. Someone told me that a bowl should be taller than it is wide and vice-versa for a platter, but that makes no sense to me!!


Thanks

Steve
Click to expand...

Yeah, taller than wide doesn’t fit most bowls. I’d say that if the piece could hold a liquid (or has the potential if the artsy holes were plugged) and moved with relative ease then it’s a bowl. Art, porn, and bowls, I knows ‘em when I sees ‘em.
 
SteveCarter said:
Hello, What are the technical differences between a bowl and a platter. Someone told me that a bowl should be taller than it is wide and vice-versa for a platter, but that makes no sense to me!! Thanks Steve
Click to expand...

If you turned it you can call it anything you like.
I would suggest a small percentage of bowls are taller than they are wide.
The classic hemisphere bowl is just about twice as wide as it high

I don't know of a universally agreed upon definition that separates a platter from a bowl.
In planning the symposium we use the classification open form which includes platters and bowls.
Often platters have a small bowl in the middle and some bowls have wings that are similar to platter rims.
So the turning techniques are close to being the same.

I think of a platter as having a height less than 2" and a diameter more than 10 inches
The 10" is sort of arbitrary but at some point it becomes a plate.
 
These are the published categories for the annual Florida State Fair woodturning Competition.
The formatting lost most of the numbers. The entrant pick the category, the judge has the option of reassigning categories.

Class Description
(HOLLOW VESSEL) Definition: Hollow vessel – a form with a top opening smaller than the width, containing substantial “hollow area.” Vase – a hollow vessel higher than wide

Standard hollow vessel or vase – may contain decoration while turning on the lathe (i.e. coves, beads, surface texture

Embellished hollow vessel or vase – carved, fluted, wood burned, inlay, colored, etc.

(BOWL) Definition: Bowl – top opening larger than the base, exposing the interior to view. (Wider than

high)

Standard bowl – may contain decoration applied while turning on the lathe (i.e. coves, beads,

surface texture

Embellished bowl – carved, fluted, wood burned, inlay, colored, etc.

(PLATE / PLATTER) Definition: Plate/platter – a form substantially wider than high with the surface open to view.

Standard plate / platter - may contain decoration while turning on the lathe (i.e. coves, beads, surface texture

Embellished plate / platter - carved, fluted, wood burned, inlay, colored, etc.

(SPINDLE) Definition: Spindle – primarily turned between centers with grain parallel to lathe bed.

7. ALL SPINDLE – Primarily turned b/t centers, grain parallel to bed of lathe (NATURAL EDGE)

ALL NATURAL EDGE

ALL SEGMENTED or constructed: pieced together and turned with one or more woods (e.g.

maple/walnut)

OTHER THAN WOOD at least 50% other material (alabaster, plastics, metal spinning, soapstone,

and combinations of above)

MINEATURE no dimension exceeding two (2) inches

ALL ORNAMENTAL (done with an ornamental type lathe)

LIDDED CONTAINER no dimension over 4”

LIDDED CONTIANER any dimension over 4”

OTHER jewelry, toys, pens, Christmas ornaments, utensils, constructed multiple turnings,

resulting in spinning wheels, ships, wheel clocks, candelabra, reassembled turnings, wood or non- woods acceptable; however, 50% of project must be turned.
 
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For an art show, where awards are given, and among the artisans themselves, then a more rigid definition is more likely.....and, in that case, each individual event will not support the same definitions as other events, nor will individual artisans among themselves. Therefore, the definition is subject to opinion......:p

In my case, where I'm selling bowls and platters online....my personal opinions, or rules, are very flexible. This is specifically because my potential customers (as a group) don't agree on what the parameters of bowls and platters are. If I have rigid definitions of bowls vs platters, and describe them in such a way, I'm handicapping myself by limiting potential customers who will find my bowls/platters through a computer search online.

ko
 
Good info here as I never thought of the difference. However.........I determine a platter and a bowl by the amount of ice cream it will hold. :o
 
Basically what Al said in his first post ... If I turn it then I can name it.if somebody wants to buy it then it is whatever they think that it is. For me, the one distinguishing characteristic is having a rim that amounts to more than the wood thickness. My bowls have a rim that might be embellished, but it is still nothing more than the edge. On a natural edged bowl, the rim is just the natural edge. On a natural edge platter, the rim has a natural edge, but there is more to the rim than that. I turn a lot of dyed rim platters. Many of my fellow club members call them bowls.
 
Bill Boehme said:
Basically what Al said in his first post ... If I turn it then I can name it.if somebody wants to buy it then it is whatever they think that it is. For me, the one distinguishing characteristic is having a rim that amounts to more than the wood thickness. My bowls have a rim that might be embellished, but it is still nothing more than the edge. On a natural edged bowl, the rim is just the natural edge. On a natural edge platter, the rim has a natural edge, but there is more to the rim than that. I turn a lot of dyed rim platters. Many of my fellow club members call them bowls.
Click to expand...



So I'm still not sure if this is a bowl or platter...

http://www.olafvogel.com/large-platters.html
Just in the interest of truth in advertising

 
olaf Vogel said:
So I'm still not sure if this is a bowl or platter...

http://www.olafvogel.com/large-platters.html
Just in the interest of truth in advertising
Click to expand...

On your website you said it was a platter so that is what it is. If I were to buy it then I am sure that you would allow me to call it whatever I wish especially if you think that I will become a repeat customer. :rolleyes:

A name is just a name. It doesn't change what it is ... I think ... :confused:

BTW, it did look like a platter to me until this discussion came up and now I'm having a nomenclature crisis. When should I call it a plate, dish, disk, bowl, saucer, tray, porringer, coaster, or a salver? Does it matter if it has a natural edge with bark attached? Sans bark? Bark inclusions? And, does a chain sawed edge count as a natural edge? How about a beaver gnawed edge? Rotted edge?
 
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