The Piece

A beautifully worn early 20th-century enamelware berry bowl, dating to circa 1920 through the late 1940s, crafted in porcelain enamel over metal with a classic pale finish and dark-edged rim. Its shallow strainer form is both practical and sculptural—perforated to drain quickly, and low enough to sit elegantly on the table once the work is done.

The best part is what it does in light: the perforations throw a soft, patterned shadow across wood surfaces, turning an everyday kitchen object into something unexpectedly poetic.

Design & Construction

→ Porcelain enamel over metal for durability and hygiene
→ Perforated sidewall for rinsing and draining small produce
→ Low-profile bowl silhouette (more “berry bowl” than deep colander)
→ Rolled rim with honest enamel loss and age-earned character

Historical Context

In the interwar decades, enamelware was an essential domestic material—hardwearing, non-reactive, and easy to clean. Pieces like this were used daily for garden harvests and market prep: rinsing berries, grapes, cherries, beans, and small vegetables. The form is a snapshot of a working kitchen before plastics took over—utilitarian design that now reads as timeless.

Condition

Good antique-vintage condition consistent with age.

→ Rim chipping and enamel loss (most visible along the edge)
→ Light surface wear and marks from use
→ Bowl form appears stable and true in your photos

Product Details

→ Type: Enamelware berry bowl / shallow strainer
→ Era: c. 1920–late 1940s
→ Material: Porcelain enamel over metal
→ Color: Soft white / cream enamel with dark rim
→ Use: Produce rinsing + display styling (ideal for dry styling or gentle use given enamel wear)
→ Style Notes: Interwar utilitarian kitchenware; farmhouse-modern compatible

Why It Belongs in Your Home

Because it’s honest design: a functional object with a quiet graphic presence. It styles effortlessly in a modern kitchen, a pantry shelf, or an open-shelving vignette—and it brings that “collected over time” feeling that new pieces can’t fake.