Weird wooden bowl (I guess I stumped you or something?) lol Please help

[gingin]

I found this bowl. It looks like it's hand carved. It's stamped Japan on the bottom. My question is, what is the weird thing in the center of it? It looks like a bundt type bowl or something but it has a washer or something with a screw in the middle of it. I just cannot figure out what it would be used for. Maybe it's not a bowl at all? I don't know. Need your help please. Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

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[gingin]

Re: Weird wooden bowl

Couple more pictures of it.

 

[Jeffro]

I can't tell for sure, but maybe some help... the designs look hand carved, but the bowl is obviously spun. Judging from the wear patterns around the side/bottom, I would guess something was attached to the center post that rotated. Wouldn't have been a grinder, wood is too soft for that. Possibly something to crush up soft stuff like fish? A poi maker? Or a juicer?

 

[SomeGuy]

I vaguely recall decades ago seeing something similar being used as a pipe smoker's ashtray, the pipe bowl was tapped out against the center post.

 

[debistogs]

I think it may be a wooden nut bowl.

http://search.ebay.com/antique-nut-bowls_W0QQfkrZ1QQfnuZ1

 

[crapshooter]

Don't think its a nut bowl....we had one when I was a kid but it had holes on the post to put the tools in

 

[RainDog]

Nut Bowl missing mallet.
Granny had one.
Raindog

 

[Eu_citzen]

I have seen something like it...My grandmother had something like that when making cakes and such.

 

[diggummup]

Nut Bowl missing mallet.
Granny had one.
Raindog

Yup,similar to this one only missing the "nutcracker" like you said.

 

[Michelle]

Good I D.........

 

[Jeffro]

Must be a bck east thing... LOL! All of the nut bowls I have seen have small holes drilled in the center post for tools to dig the meat out of the nuts. Ah well, got me.... LOL!

 

[Michelle]

Is the metal in the middle magnetic

 

[Monty]

Nut bowl, no doubt. My mom had one just like it. Monty

 

[Angelo]

Nut bowl, no doubt. My mom had one just like it. Monty

My mom also had one! But I was referred to as a NUT CASE and not a Bowl.

 

[Michelle]

Nut bowl, no doubt. My mom had one just like it. Monty

My mom also had one! But I was referred to as a NUT CASE and not a Bowl.

She 's a Good Mom