Hand Turned outlet Rustic Cherry Mortar and Pestle

This Mortar and Pestle was rough turned while the cherry wood was green. It was then packed outlet in a paper bag along with its own shavings and allowed to dry naturally for nearly a year. This is time consuming but it's the best way I've found to prevent warping and cracking and preserve the natural beauty of the wood. When it finally dried, I put it back on the lathe, finished turning it, and hand-sanded it. The Mortar has several inclusions in the wood. Some people would call them imperfections, I think that they are part of what makes hand-crafted wood pieces have character and add to the piece. They are visible in the photos and in no way compromise the piece. I then hand-applied several layers of wax to it as the only finish. The finish should be very durable and last for many years.
The piece is fully functional and the finish is all natural and is food safe. This being said, wood is by its nature very porous and despite being sealed with wax I personally wouldn't select wood as the material to use to grind wet or hard materials. Use your own judgment regarding the use of this piece, I intend for it to be a decorative piece. The Mortar is approximately 4 3/8 inches tall, and 4 inches in diameter. The Pestle in approximately 4 ¼ inches tall and 2 inches in diameter.