I'm not sure about the shellac. You may find the finish being ruined by the bread dough, and I've no idea if the dough will absorb something from the shellac.

You could try lining it with a linen or cotton woven kitchen towel. I would rub flour into the towel, then sprinkle on plenty of wheat bran or corn meal. You won't get the pattern of the bowl, but will benefit from the shape. I've tried rising mine in a colander. Here's a link to one bread I did this way.

http://thefreshloaf.com/node/3393/my-best-nyt-no-knead-bread-date

I proofed a loaf made from Floyd's Pain Sur Poolish recipe yesterday in an ordinary wicker basket lined wth parchment paper.  When the time came, I transferred the loaf on the parchment paper directly onto the baking stone, after trimming the edges of the paper.  It seemed to work fine.

Colin 

I just ordered some bannetons from fantes.com .... pricing seemed reasonable if you also want a rectangular Brotform. Otherwise sfbi.com has the best pricing -in a limited selection- of the bannetons.

You put so much work and thought into your bread - In my opinion that deserves to be finished off with a quality proofing basket. They last for generations ....

BROTKUNST

Thanks for all your comments.  I would line the bowl, but that negates the purpose of having a wicker bowl in the first place (i.e. the beautiful lines the willow leaves behind).  I currently use plastic-lined metal bowls for proofing my boules.  My main concern about the shellac was its "food safe-ness" - I just found out that the bowl was made in Bangledesh, so the shellac could be iffy.

Thanks, Brotkunst for the link - I've been eyeing the bannetons at the San Francisco Baking Institute, but this link had shapes I'd never seen...

The bowl is beautiful in itself - I think I'll use it as a bowl and go ahead and order some bannetons online.