Vintage Couroc Bowl with Quail

Description

A brown and black quail rises out of gold foil brush on this lovely black bowl by Couroc of Monterey, California. The bowl is made of a black, shining plastic, called phenol, which was developed for this collectible line of housewares. The bowl has a gold sticker on the back with the message, "Couroc is unique. Couroc serving pieces are cherished gifts because of their variety and beauty of designs. Hand inlaid by master craftsmen, shells, coins, woods and metals are fused into satin black phenolic. They are impervious to alcohol and boiling water."

Couroc was founded in 1948 in Monterey by a husband and wife team, Guthrie Couvoisier and Moira Wallace. They were known initially for trays but later expanded the product line to include bowls and other housewares. They reached the height of their popularity in the 1970s, when they were available in stores across the nation. Often they collaborated with local artists, so their products were a marriage between independent artists and mass produced.

This bowl is in very good vintage condition. It has a few light scratches but the image is unmarred.

Size: about 8 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches deep (20.3 x 3.7 cm)

Added on Nov 07, 2009