Roseland Cottage

Bowling Balls

Roseland Cottage’s bowling balls are made from a wood called lignum vitae, a tropical wood in the ironwood family. The wood is so dense that it sinks rather than floats. It also becomes harder over time, making Roseland Cottage’s bowling balls the wooden equivalent of cannon balls. The different sizes reflect the fact that bowling didn’t have standardized rules until 1895, when the American Bowling Congress was established. We like to show every bowling ball in our collection.