The perfect Made-in-New-Zealand wedding gift

Looking for a wedding gift that’s a little more unique and personal? (not just another gift from a big box store)

Each of my wooden bowls are handmade here in New Zealand from sustainably sourced NZ native timbers and “far from boring”.

Made to last (like a good marriage)

All my wooden bowls and wooden platters are made to stand the test of time. Crafted with the quality and care it takes to mean it might, one day, go from being a wedding gift to a family heirloom.

 A lot of the native hardwoods I use are incredibly strong (even when I turn them to be lovely and fine). Meaning that each piece not only has a pleasing shape but can also handle the knocks of daily use.

Choose a piece of art or something more utilitarian

You can choose a piece of art-work or one of my more functional kitchen wooden fruit bowls or salad bowls.  To see the range of work I have for sale, have a look at the shop page

Alternatively, if you struggle with the decision of exactly which one to choose, I also have gift vouchers available.

Sustainably sourced & made by hand

All the native timbers I use are sustainably sourced, hand turned and / or hand-carved. If you’d like to read more about the process your bowl goes through when I turn a wooden bowl: check out the process of making a wooden bowl.

Providence

Each bowl is engraved with “Gavin Brunton, Kawau Island, [the type of wood used], [the year],” and the bowl number “No.[#]”.

So the recipient knows exactly where it was made, who made it, and the wood it’s been turned from.

Personalised

I can, if desired, engrave the [bride and groom’s name] & [wedding date] onto the base of the bowl (where space allows).

In addition to the engraving, I’m also happy to include a note from you to the bride and groom, so they can receive your best wishes along with the bowl.

“I ordered a beautiful Kanuka burl / burr bowl from Gavin and couldn’t be happier with the purchase. The piece has been crafted with creativity, thought and care.  Customer service was outstanding – I ordered this piece during lockdown and Gavin ensured it still got to me in time, keeping regular contact throughout.

I would recommend to anyone who is thinking of purchasing a piece of hand crafted wood to look no further than Gavin Brunton – you won’t be disappointed!”

Aidan D

“ I was looking for a wedding present that had a made in New Zealand flavour…  they say the bowl has pride of place in their new kitchen…

….just perfect thank you.”

“I am a Kiwi living overseas and wanted to send a koha with a true Aotearoa flavor.

I found Gavin’s website and was impacted by the soul of this craftsman and the strength and beauty of his work. I contacted Gavin and his replies to my questions were always prompt, friendly, and thoughtful. He offered to include a letter from me to the receiver which was most appreciated and kept me in touch all the way. I hope to one day visit Gavin on Kawau Island. Thank you Gavin!”

Rob M

“I ordered a pohutukawa bowl from Australia as an engagement gift for family in NZ. Gavin personally messaged me throughout the delivery process to ensure the bowl arrived safely, and seriously, the bowl is just SO beautiful!!

I would highly recommend Gavins work if you’re looking for something unique, exquisitely handmade, and for the WOW factor. I will be ordering more. Thank you Gavin for incredible service. You have made this order special for both me, the sender, and my family, the receiver.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED”

Karyn L

“ We have been collecting Gavin’s pieces for several years now.  Each piece is truly unique and stunning.

They are also our ‘go to’ wedding gift which Gavin kindly engraves to personalize for the bridal couple. “

Kirsty F

Have a look at my latest work for sale

What is ebonised wood?

The black ebonised look I have on some of my bowls is actually a very old traditional technique to darken wood. Ebonizing got its name from its traditional use: turning wood black to appear more like ebony, a rare, dense and durable, naturally insect resistant wood...

Kelton Carver’s Jig

I am passionate about buying well-designed quality tools that will last a lifetime. The Carver's Jig by Kelton Industries is a perfect example of such a tool.  I bought this carver's jig around five years ago and have progressively used it more and more as more of my...

What makes a good fruit bowl

What sort of fruit bowl looks good?  Does the type of bowl affect how long fruit lasts? Or is it just a simple question of deciding what size fruit bowl is right for me? There're lots of questions and plenty of ways you can look at it but the best one I know of is...

Bowl Art Gallery & Turning Studio

Gavin has his home, turning studio, and bowl art gallery on Kawau Island. Their house and gallery, called Tŷ Pren (“Wood House” in Welsh) is just that: made of wood - a combination of hardwoods, macrocarpa and plywood. Everywhere you look is wood with wooden floors,...

The process of making a wooden bowl

Finding the wood... I'm incredibly lucky that I live on an island covered in native trees: with the coastline dotted with Pohutukawa, hidden valleys of Puriri, and Kanuka as far as the eye can see.  I find most of the wood I use after big storms have brought down...

Kawau Island Attractions & Transport

What's special about Kawau Island? A lot of people are interested when I tell them I live on Kawau Island. Kawau is one of the many small islands that dot the east coast of the, much larger, North Island of New Zealand. We have some 90 permanent residents, which makes...

A family heirloom in the making

What will you give your kids? Hopefully, your time and your love but, like photos from your childhood, there's a place for keepsakes too. For each of us it will be a different thing: a lovely wooden chair or a casserole dish, but it’s something we will really cherish,...

Images and text copyrighted 2021

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