Harry Nohr
Turned Vessel, c.1965

Born in Waupaca, Wisconsin of Danish emigrant parents, Nohr’s first foray into craftsmanship began while he was a U.S. soldier in France: he sold vases crafted from empty ammunition shells and parts from German guns and French airplanes. Back in the States, Nohr spent his first career as the postmaster in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, from 1949-1966. In 1959 he took up wood turning and continued making bowls into his retirement. He created his bowls and sold them out of his home at 307 High Street, Mineral Point. His process included coating a bowl-shaped block of wood in wax, which he then wrapped in newspaper and stored in a humidity and temperature controlled room for two years. After unwrapping the block of wood, Nohr cut it to a uniform thickness by hand on a lathe and finished it by baking it and covering it with epoxy. Nohr used wood from more than 20 native trees, and found that the burl of the tree produced the most aesthetically pleasing designs. He won awards at various design shows and art fairs and was featured in an ABC television program called “With These Hands” (1971). He also served on the Executive Council of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.

Wood