8 15/16″ x 3 3/8″ from a log of about 12″ diameter. A blank, with a wall thickness just under an inch was turned in October. After monitoring the weight change in the blank (and knowing I wanted a bowl to bring to France), I chose to complete the turning. As it happens, the wood was still a little yet yielding a slightly distorted round as I completed the final turning. The pear wood log was from Paul Simmons of Valley Trees. Sanding was done up to 4000 grit. The finish is “salad bowl” finish with three coats of wax. Some lines are still present but are possibly within wax coat.
Update: This bowl was given to my friend and sometimes colleague Eric Duplan of TESIS. He lives with his family at an old farm in the Tourraine, providing space for his sizable metal and woodworking atelier and baking operations. This bowl receives heavy use and has survived a number of excursions in a microwave.
thecaveforwood.work 
The pear wood bowl reminds me of the feel of a pear. Turning the bowl with the large crack must have been a real challenge. How do you keep the tool from gouging into the surface?
These are all beautiful.
The biggest problem with large cracks is that the tool skips, making it hard to keep the curve running true. As the tool drops into the crack, the curve wants to change.
Keeping the tool from gouging the surface, what we call a “catch”, is the first lesson on the lathe — the tool must ride on it’s “bevel” to keep this from happening. If you jab the cutting edge straight into the turning piece (crack or not) it’s going to catch. If you rotate down from the bevel until you start shaving wood, no problem. At that point, the gouge is working just like a hand plane.