A quantity of lathe-turned wooden bowls and pedestal vessels were made in 1886 to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of King Kalakaua and the twelfth year of his reign. Irving Jenkins describes some of the presentation ceremonies at the celebrations (Jenkins, 1989, pp. 112-122) and reproduces a photograph of the display of presents in the Iolani Palace throne room on 16 November 1886, in which a number of covered bowls similar to the present one are included (pp. 120-121). Jenkins also illustrates the brand mark found on the bowl and cover (p. 175)