Wood came from an old hospital that was believed to have been erected in the early 1900's but others report that the structure was built in the 1890's. Very little records were kept during this time. This structure was used as a hospital until the 1950's. It has been reported that Al Capone was shot and treated in this hospital. Oddly enough, this hospital never had a recorded name or a physical address. Hospital was located in was was then called Girard, Alabama and later became Phenix City. The towns name was changed on several occasions and was know as the original "Sin City". A movie called " The Phenix City Story" was written and produced in the early 1960"s. It was said that this town was so evil that General Patton wanted to drive his tanks and demolish the city. The hospital was turned into a boarding house for the homeless and caught on fire in August 2015. Efforts to save it were unsuccessful and it was deemed for demolition July 2015. Structure was reported to be haunted.
Table is constructed using Heartpine. Wood was placed on the extinction/endangered list in the 1920's. This tree only grew approximately 1" every 30 years and was the original source of turpentine. This tree played a huge role in the industrial revolution. Table has been constructed using no screws or nails with the exception of what is holding down the top. This is done because real wood moves and it would shear off the pegs. Legs are mortised and pegged. table has been hand planed and has a waterproof finish that will not leave rings. Farm Table 6' x 40" $ 1595.00
Shaker Campaign Desk Figured Black Walnut (Hard to find) (Sold)
Tons of Joinery in this Beautiful highly figured curly black walnut and curly maple desk. The top has been spline-jointed and has curly maple breadboard ends that are pegged. Top has been hand scraped due to all the figure (very hard to find this much figure!) The interior joinery is amazing although you cannot see it. All joints under the top have been dovetailed/ mortised and pegged. No screws or nails in the interior. Drawers have hand cut dovetails on all four corners. Bottoms of the drawers are solid black walnut no veneers here!! The outside casing has tons of joinery. Pictures do not do this desk justice!! One of a kind that has been signed, numbered and dated.
We use Black Walnut from the east coast only due to its density and color. Black walnut has a dye and the Indian's used to dye their hair with it in the past. In today's world they will steam the wood to get the dyes to penetrate the sap of the wood. We do not do that here. Our walnut tables are natural in color and the table has a waterproof finish that seals in the beauty of the wood. All that is required to care for our furniture is a damp cloth. Black Walnut also known as American walnut is part of the Hickory family. The tree is the most sought after of native hardwoods. Native Americans valued the black walnut and used it for a variety of everyday tasks. They chewed the bark for toothaches. The husk was also chewed for colic and was used as a poultice for infections
Confusion arises as to where the black walnut first originated. Historians believe the origin of the black walnut to be Persia somewhere between 8,000-2,000 BCE. However, the oldest archaeological sight where walnuts were discovered is in the Shanidar caves in Iraq. The black walnut has been a staple for many cultures throughout history . American Indians utilized the tree for its nuts and the dye produced by the tree was used as hair dye. They would eat the nuts raw or pound them to form a type of butter. Indians also tapped the trunk of the black walnut for sap to make syrup. In France in 1663, during the famine, walnuts became a principle item. The poor used the walnuts as food and even resorted to grinding them up to make course bread. In the 1800's, black walnut trees made their first appearance in the United States when they were brought over from Spain.
Figured Black Walnut 5' x 30" $ 2995.00
Rustic Black Walnut Sold
This table measures 6' x 40" wide. We have tried our best to display the wood in this table as it is absolutely gorgeous. The wood has some imperfections such as knots and cracks that we would normally place to the side and not use in a normal table. The figure in the wood is amazing and although it appears to have a greenish tint it does not ( the lights are affecting the color) and is a Beautiful milk and dark chocolate color. We have added a few black and white photo's to show some of the figure that appears to be blotches in the photo's . Due to all the figure the table has been hand-scraped. The top has been spline-jointed the full length of the table. The legs are mortised and pegged, Table does not come apart. Table has a waterproof finish and has been signed, numbered and dated.
We use Black Walnut from the east coast only due to its density and color. Black walnut has a dye and the Indian's used to dye their hair with it in the past. In today's world they will steam the wood to get the dyes to penetrate the sap of the wood. We do not do that here. Our walnut tables are natural in color and the table has a waterproof finish that seals in the beauty of the wood. All that is required to care for our furniture is a damp cloth. Black Walnut also known as American walnut is part of the Hickory family. The tree is the most sought after of native hardwoods. Native Americans valued the black walnut and used it for a variety of everyday tasks. They chewed the bark for toothaches. The husk was also chewed for colic and was used as a poultice for infections Confusion arises as to where the black walnut first originated. Historians believe the origin of the black walnut to be Persia somewhere between 8,000-2,000 BCE. However, the oldest archaeological sight where walnuts were discovered is in the Shanidar caves in Iraq. The black walnut has been a staple for many cultures throughout history . American Indians utilized the tree for its nuts and the dye produced by the tree was used as hair dye. They would eat the nuts raw or pound them to form a type of butter. Indians also tapped the trunk of the black walnut for sap to make syrup. In France in 1663, during the famine, walnuts became a principle item. The poor used the walnuts as food and even resorted to grinding them up to make course bread. In the 1800's, black walnut trees made their first appearance in the United States when they were brought over from Spain.
Black Walnut 6' x 40" $ 1595.00
Black Cherry
43 x 84" Thin top Black Cherry. Table contains no screws or nails. Top has been spline-jointed and hand scraped. Legs have been mortised and pegged. Has a waterproof finish that will not leave rings. Heat resistant to 180 degrees. Blotches in wood are curl and will be gorgeous when the color changes to a brick-red color. Signed, numbered and dated.
Black Cherry: Cherry lumber is a type of hardwood that's prized for its durability, attractive grain and warm glow. Some of the best cherry lumber comes from the American black cherry tree. The lumber from these trees has the reddish quality the wood is known for and will take a very high polish. Natural cherry wood is perhaps the most prized furniture hardwood in America. Cherry wood is a smooth-grained, reddish-brown hardwood that comes from the American Black Cherry fruit tree. Color You may be surprised to learn that natural cherry wood changes colors over time and that the color can vary greatly between trees. While many types of wood can darken over time, this process can be very distinct when dealing with cherry wood. It starts out a light golden/pink tone and darkens to a rich, reddish-brown color as it is exposed to light. This darkening or “ripening” process is most apparent within the first six months of light exposure before reaching that beautiful, reddish brown hue that cherry wood is known for. You can accelerate the aging process by exposing the wood to as much natural light as possible. Grain Pattern Cherry wood has a smooth, closed grain pattern, much like that of maple wood. As with any natural product, we expect and embrace unique characteristics in the wood grain. A single cherry wood board can have several contrasting grain patterns depending on the growth of the tree. The bark of a black cherry tree has been used in folk medicine recipes in the southern Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States. The bark is stripped from young trees and then used to suppress coughs. The fruit also has been used to make wine or can be mixed in with stronger liquors to give rum or brandy a sweeter cherry flavor. The same cherry trees that bear early fruit and which are used in decorative landscaping are not the cherry trees from which cherry wood lumber is milled. The black cherry tree, a member of the Prunus Serotina family, holds many distinctive features. While the black cherry tree does bear fruit, that fruit is late to mature and has a purple hue. The bitter taste makes it ideal for jellies and beverages. Unlike other cherry trees, its bark is dark with easily removable scales, and the heartwood is a reddish brown, ranging from dark to light. When exposed to sunlight, the color is similar to that of mahogany. Black cherry trees are indigenous to east-central North America as well as southeastern Canada
Black Cherry 43" x 84" $ 1445.00
Shagbark Hickory
40" x 84" Thin top Shagbark Hickory. Table contains no screws or nails. Top has been spline-jointed and hand scraped. Legs have been mortised and pegged. Has a waterproof finish that will not leave rings. Heat resistant to 180 degrees.
The earliest remnants and use of hickory were recovered at Modoc Rock Shelter in Illinois. Leaves and seed were recovered with human artifacts from strata dated about 8900-8700 yr BP. (Pre-Boreal period, approximately 11,700 years ago). Strachey (1612) reported about a ritual of the Native Americans which involved hickory, hominy corn and what the tribe called "pokahichary", ( a drink which the Powhatan Indians of Virginia made by pounding hickory nuts with water). This was served by a goddess to spirits of the afterlife that were traveling to the rising sun. When early colonists arrived in America, they found an abundant nut tree that was unknown in the old world. They found that Native Indians had a curious practice of pounding the nuts and tossing them into boiling water. A cream-colored oily substance separated from the nuts which was skimmed off and stored as a pasty material the Indians called "pawcohiccora". Indians used pawcohiccora in ways similar to butter. It was used as a spread and an ingredient in corn cakes and other dishes. English speaking settlers soon shortened the Indian word to "Hickory" and refereed to the creamy nut paste as "Hickory Milk". This oily substance became economically valuable in the colonial trade; one quart of hickory milk, for example, could be exchanged for 19 lbs of pork. Early Indians also used the hickory tree to make bows and baskets. They also used hickory medicinally as analgesics, diuretics and was used to control bleeding. Colonists used the bark from the hickory tree to make syrup. The bark was cut into strips and boiled to make a "tea". Cane sugar was added and boiled again to make the mixture thick. Today Shagbark syrup sells for 30.00 a quart. They also used the ashes from burning hickory to produce high quality lye soap. Hickory trees produced durable, resistant wood that was also used for wagon wheels, tools and fence posts. The term "Tough as Hickory" came for the durability and strength of the wood. Andrew Jackson's tough, warrior reputation earned him the nickname "Old Hickory".
Shagbark Hickory 40" x 84" $1695.00
Black Walnut Harvest Table
Black Walnut table measures 34" x 96" Blotches seen are curl in the wood. Table has been hand planed and has a spline-jointed top. Legs are mortised and pegged. Table has a waterproof finish that is also heat resistant to 180 degrees. Signed, numbered and dated.
We use Black Walnut from the east coast only due to its density and color. Black walnut has a dye and the Indian's used to dye their hair with it in the past. In today's world they will steam the wood to get the dyes to penetrate the sap of the wood. We do not do that here. Our walnut tables are natural in color and the table has a waterproof finish that seals in the beauty of the wood. All that is required to care for our furniture is a damp cloth. Black Walnut also known as American walnut is part of the Hickory family. The tree is the most sought after of native hardwoods. Native Americans valued the black walnut and used it for a variety of everyday tasks. They chewed the bark for toothaches. The husk was also chewed for colic and was used as a poultice for infections Confusion arises as to where the black walnut first originated. Historians believe the origin of the black walnut to be Persia somewhere between 8,000-2,000 BCE. However, the oldest archaeological sight where walnuts were discovered is in the Shanidar caves in Iraq. The black walnut has been a staple for many cultures throughout history . American Indians utilized the tree for its nuts and the dye produced by the tree was used as hair dye. They would eat the nuts raw or pound them to form a type of butter. Indians also tapped the trunk of the black walnut for sap to make syrup. In France in 1663, during the famine, walnuts became a principle item. The poor used the walnuts as food and even resorted to grinding them up to make course bread. In the 1800's, black walnut trees made their first appearance in the United States when they were brought over from Spain.
Black Walnut 34" x 96" $ 2395.00
Douglas Fir Farm Table (Sold)
Wood is Douglas Fir that came from an old dairy/hay barn. Table measures 6' x 42". This table has what we call a primitive look . The boards were the floor boards at one time and received heavy use. The table has been hand planed and the top has been spline-jointed. These splines run the entire length of the top. The legs have been mortised and pegged. The table has a waterproof finish and will not leave rings. The finish is heat resistant to 180 degrees.
This barn was built in the 1890's in Junction City, Oregon. The building was used for the storage of hay and cattle over the years. The barn was built using hand hewn beams. Hand hewing is the squaring of a log using a variety of axes and adze's Hewing a fresh cut tree was one of the most labor intensive and artistic aspects of construction back in the 1800’s and before. Not only was the tree felled by hand, but the log was then squared up by hand as well.
Junction City Oregon In the 1870s, Junction City was named by railroad magnate Ben Holladay, who decided this would be where the rail line on the east side of the Willamette Valley would meet the rail line on the west side. The west-side line, however, was not built according to plan, although Junction City later was where the two main branches of U.S. Route 99 (which divided in Portland) would rejoin. The city was incorporated in 1872. Junction City gained media attention from major outlets such as CNN, Fox News, and The Today Show in 2003,[8][9] when a number of local men posed in the nude for "The Men of the Long Tom Grange Calendar"[10] to raise money for the local school district. The project raised over $265,000 for local schools and brought national attention to the issue of school funding.years.
Douglas Fir According to popular myth, many mice hid inside the scales of the Douglas Fir tree's cones (see picture above), which was kind enough to offer sanctuary for them during forest fires. Each of the three sided bracts of the Douglas fir cone makes the tail and two tiny legs. Douglas fir trees are not a single species, as there are approximately 50 different species of Douglas firs that thrive throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
In the past, Native people of North America used Douglas Firs both for nourishment and medicinal purposes. Dried inner bark was ground into a nutritious meal during times when there was a lack of food. On hot sunny days, when conditions were right, crystals of sugar formed at the tips of the needles and around the branches. This rare treat was eaten raw or collected for future use in sweeting food.
The dried sap of the Douglas fir was used to cure cold symptoms and the sticky buds were chewed to relive mouth sores. Young Douglas fir needles are high in Vitamin C and they were used to treat scurvy. Lumps of hardened sap were chewed to keep boredom away and to whiten teeth. The bark was used to make canoes and the roots were corded to stitch canoes and baskets and was used to make fishing nets. The name Douglas fir comes from a Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who first introduced the tree into cultivation in 1826.
Growth ring picture shows how much wood has changed with humans adding supplements to the trees. Notice how tight the growth rings are beforehand and how they are in today's trees.
Primitive Doug Fir Farm Table (Primitive look meaning lots of character and steam saw marks) 6' x 42" $ 1145.00
Douglas Fir Farm Table Sold
Wood is Douglas Fir that came from an old hay barn. Table measures 6' x 44". This table has what we call a primitive look . The boards were the floor boards at one time and received heavy use. The table has been hand planed and the top has been spline-jointed. These splines run the entire length of the top. The legs have been mortised and pegged. The table has a waterproof finish and will not leave rings. The finish is heat resistant to 180 degrees.
This barn was built in the 1890's in Junction City, Oregon. The building was used for the storage of hay and cattle over the years. The barn was built using hand hewn beams. Hand hewing is the squaring of a log using a variety of axes and adze's Hewing a fresh cut tree was one of the most labor intensive and artistic aspects of construction back in the 1800’s and before. Not only was the tree felled by hand, but the log was then squared up by hand as well.
Junction City Oregon In the 1870s, Junction City was named by railroad magnate Ben Holladay, who decided this would be where the rail line on the east side of the Willamette Valley would meet the rail line on the west side. The west-side line, however, was not built according to plan, although Junction City later was where the two main branches of U.S. Route 99 (which divided in Portland) would rejoin. The city was incorporated in 1872. Junction City gained media attention from major outlets such as CNN, Fox News, and The Today Show in 2003,[8][9] when a number of local men posed in the nude for "The Men of the Long Tom Grange Calendar"[10] to raise money for the local school district. The project raised over $265,000 for local schools and brought national attention to the issue of school funding.years.
Douglas Fir According to popular myth, many mice hid inside the scales of the Douglas Fir tree's cones (see picture above), which was kind enough to offer sanctuary for them during forest fires. Each of the three sided bracts of the Douglas fir cone makes the tail and two tiny legs. Douglas fir trees are not a single species, as there are approximately 50 different species of Douglas firs that thrive throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
In the past, Native people of North America used Douglas Firs both for nourishment and medicinal purposes. Dried inner bark was ground into a nutritious meal during times when there was a lack of food. On hot sunny days, when conditions were right, crystals of sugar formed at the tips of the needles and around the branches. This rare treat was eaten raw or collected for future use in sweeting food.
The dried sap of the Douglas fir was used to cure cold symptoms and the sticky buds were chewed to relive mouth sores. Young Douglas fir needles are high in Vitamin C and they were used to treat scurvy. Lumps of hardened sap were chewed to keep boredom away and to whiten teeth. The bark was used to make canoes and the roots were corded to stitch canoes and baskets and was used to make fishing nets. The name Douglas fir comes from a Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who first introduced the tree into cultivation in 1826.
Growth ring picture shows how much wood has changed with humans adding supplements to the trees. Notice how tight the growth rings are beforehand and how they are in today's trees.
Doug Fir Farm Table (Primitive look meaning lots of character and steam saw marks)
6' x 44" $ 1045.00
Historic American Chestnut (Sold)
Farm table measures 6' x 34" . This table has two extensions that make the table 9' x 34" when they are in place. The top has been spline-jointed and hand planned. The saw marks you see are from a steam saw. The legs are mortised and pegged. The entire set and has been hand planned. It has a waterproof finish and the only care that it requires is a damp cloth its entire life. Table is also heat resistant up to 180 degrees.
Wood is American Chestnut and it comes from an old bank barn that was constructed in the early 1800's. This barn is registered under the Maryland Historical Society.
There were once almost 4 million American Chestnut trees in the United States. They were among the largest, tallest and fastest growing trees in the eastern forest. The wood was long-lasting, straight grained and suitable for furniture, fencing and building. The nuts fed billions of birds and animals. It was almost a perfect tree-that is, until it was killed by a blight a century ago. That blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world's forests in all of history. A tree that had survived all adversaries for 40 million years had disappeared in 10 years. What was once known as the queen of Eastern America, the American Chestnut is now nearly extinct.
The American chestnut was an economic staple of the original homesteaders in the Appalachian mountains. The wood was light weight , weather resistant, very easy to chop and mill by hand. Colonists used the trees not only for their homes but for fencing, rails and the nuts that they produced. They were known to grow up to 26" in diameter and if your farm had many American Chestnut trees you were considered to be a very wealthy farmer.
It is believed that in 1904 a forester from the Bronx Zoo brought in Asian Chestnut trees to decorate the Zoo. It was in these trees that a blight called Endothia Parasitica was born. The fungus, which was unintentionally brought to America, spread fast. In less than 10 years the American Chestnut was all but extinct. The root bases below the disease are still alive but the saplings that they produce do not live long. Researchers have spent the last 100 years trying to revive the species but to no avail. Our American Chestnuts are now gone.
http://msa.maryland.gov/…/0106…/010628/pdf/msa_se5_10628.pdf It was owned by Peter Leatherman and was know as the Peter Leatherman Homestead. The first known documentation of this structure was the 1850's but other documentation that I have uncovered suggests 1801 by earlier descendants of the Leatherman family.
The Leatherman's were well know descendants of Middletown Maryland. Daniel Leatherman- great, great grandfather of John C Leatherman (Peter Leatherman's great great Grandfather) was the founder of the American branch of the Leatherman family. He was a native of Germany who immigrated to America and settled at Germantown, Pa. He was a member of the German Baptist Church. They were founders of the first church and helped build the church.
Daniel Leatherman (Peter's great grandfather) married and among his children was a son named Peter Leatherman I. Peter Leatherman- great grandfather of John C Leatherman (Grandfather to Peter )was a minister of the German Baptist Church. He was married to Annie Swigard and among their children was a son named Jacob. (Peters' dad) Peter Leatherman (great grandfather) died November 29 1845 and was laid to rest in the graveyard on the home farm. Mr. Leatherman's grandfather Jacob Leatherman (Peters dad) also a minister of the German Baptist Church was a school teacher and afterwards a farmer He was a successful agriculturist and owned a valuable farm in the upper part of the Middletown Valley. (This farm)
Jacob Leatherman was married to Susanna Harp- who was born October 25 1795. Their children are George - Mary born May 23 1828 - Peter born October 27 1831 - Elizabeth born August 26 1834 and Jacob II born June 22 1836. Mrs Leatherman died June 29 1836. On June 25 1837 Jacob Leatherman was married to Catherine Harp, a sister of his first wife They had no children.
Jacob Leatherman was born March 11 1787 and died November 19 1865. He was educated in the public schools of his native district and remained with his father until he was twenty one. Peter Leatherman began farming for himself on one of his farms near Petersville. After four years he removed to a farm near Harmony Md, also the property of his father where he spent the rest of his life. Mr Leatherman was a prosperous farmer and good citizen He owned four valuable farms and a large tract of timber land. Like his father and grandfather and great great grandfather, he was a minister of the German Baptist Church The Leatherman family was represented in the ministry of that denomination continuously for one hundred and fifty years. The Leatherman family was know for running very successful farms.
The Peter Leatherman Farmstead is a good example of the typical farmstead of the 1850’s which has been in continuous agricultural use to the present time , with a traditionally designed dwelling in the Georgian style, and two of the most continuing surviving domestic outbuildings of farms of the period, a summer kitchen and an early 20th century garage and barn. The agricultural group also contains the bank barn, wagon shed/corn crib, and concrete block dairy barn and milk house which are found on many farms established in the 19th century which were adapted to dairy operation in the early 20th century.
Peter Leatherman (1831-1905) was believed to have built the barn. Some records indicate that the farm was established in the early 1700’s by his father Jacob Leatherman. The farm was willed to the descendants of the Leatherman family for several generations.
During the late 19th century, Peter Leatherman owned four farms, of which this complex was the “home farm”. Until the early 1980’s the Leatherman farmstead was owned by its descendants. In all respect, the Leatherman farmstead exemplifies the historical development of many farms in the Middletown Valley, from single family farm in the mid-19th century, through dairy operation in the early 20th century, to residential subdivision in the late 20th century. The bank barn was used as a horse barn until a record snow storm collapsed the barn in January 2016.
American Chestnut (Extinction List) 6' x 41" Thick Top $ 1845.00
Doug Fir Farm Table Sold
Wood is Douglas Fir that came from an old hay barn. Table measures 6' x 42". This table has what we call a primitive look . The boards were the floor boards at one time and received heavy use. The table has been hand planed and the top has been spline-jointed. These splines run the entire length of the top. The legs have been mortised and pegged. The table has a waterproof finish and will not leave rings. The finish is heat resistant to 180 degrees.
This barn was built in the 1890's in Junction City, Oregon. The building was used for the storage of hay and cattle over the years. The barn was built using hand hewn beams. Hand hewing is the squaring of a log using a variety of axes and adze's Hewing a fresh cut tree was one of the most labor intensive and artistic aspects of construction back in the 1800’s and before. Not only was the tree felled by hand, but the log was then squared up by hand as well.
Junction City Oregon In the 1870s, Junction City was named by railroad magnate Ben Holladay, who decided this would be where the rail line on the east side of the Willamette Valley would meet the rail line on the west side. The west-side line, however, was not built according to plan, although Junction City later was where the two main branches of U.S. Route 99 (which divided in Portland) would rejoin. The city was incorporated in 1872. Junction City gained media attention from major outlets such as CNN, Fox News, and The Today Show in 2003,[8][9] when a number of local men posed in the nude for "The Men of the Long Tom Grange Calendar"[10] to raise money for the local school district. The project raised over $265,000 for local schools and brought national attention to the issue of school funding.years.
Douglas Fir According to popular myth, many mice hid inside the scales of the Douglas Fir tree's cones (see picture above), which was kind enough to offer sanctuary for them during forest fires. Each of the three sided bracts of the Douglas fir cone makes the tail and two tiny legs. Douglas fir trees are not a single species, as there are approximately 50 different species of Douglas firs that thrive throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
In the past, Native people of North America used Douglas Firs both for nourishment and medicinal purposes. Dried inner bark was ground into a nutritious meal during times when there was a lack of food. On hot sunny days, when conditions were right, crystals of sugar formed at the tips of the needles and around the branches. This rare treat was eaten raw or collected for future use in sweeting food.
The dried sap of the Douglas fir was used to cure cold symptoms and the sticky buds were chewed to relive mouth sores. Young Douglas fir needles are high in Vitamin C and they were used to treat scurvy. Lumps of hardened sap were chewed to keep boredom away and to whiten teeth. The bark was used to make canoes and the roots were corded to stitch canoes and baskets and was used to make fishing nets. The name Douglas fir comes from a Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who first introduced the tree into cultivation in 1826.
Growth ring picture shows how much wood has changed with humans adding supplements to the trees. Notice how tight the growth rings are beforehand and how they are in today's trees.
Doug Fir Farm Table (Primitive look meaning lots of character and steam saw marks) 10' x 45" $ 2495.00
Red Oak Desk Sold (has a tint in color)
Red Oak desk. This desk has 6 hand-cut dovetailed drawers and has a darker tint applied to the wood. The stretcher base is mortised and pegged. The top has been spline-jointed and hand planned. Desk has a waterproof finish that will not allow rings.
The Northern red oak is the most prized of the red oak group for lumber, all of which is marketed as red oak regardless of the species of origin. It is not good for outdoor use due to its open capillaries. One can blow air through an end grain piece 10 inches long to make bubbles come out in a glass of water. The bark of the White Oak is dried and used in medical preparations. Oak bark is also rich in tannin, and is used by tanners for tanning leather. Acorns are used for making flour or roasted for acorn coffee. Oak galls were used for centuries as the main ingredient in manuscript ink, harvested at a specific time of year. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quartersawn. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior paneling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London, England, and in the construction of fine furniture.
Oak wood, from Quercus robur and Quercus petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of war, until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making, flooring and timber frame buildings. Barrels in which red wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Scotch whisky and Bourbon whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak. The use of oak in wine can add many different dimensions to wine based on the type and style of the oak. Oak barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the color, taste, and aroma of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavor to these drinks.
Herodotus, the father of ancient history, recorded in the mid-400’s B.C. that oak trees were reputed to have within their boughs, the gift of prophecy. The presence of oak tree galls in oak trees is caused by insect larvae that tunnel inside the twigs. The oak tree branches can become infested with numerous little galls that look like brown or tan balls, as the cells of the oak tree grow to surround the insects inside. Some cultures call these creations, ‘Oak Apples,’ and they are used commercially to produce tannins, ink and a wide assortment of medicinal remedies.
The use of oak wood is well known as a hard wood with many uses reported in ancient times. It is not an easy task to write about the history of oak trees, because there are so many species, all having different stories of their own in historical development of tree lines, having evolved in different climates in different nations of the World. William Bartram in 1773 wrote in his book, ‘Travels’, that he slept underneath the “protecting shade of the hospitable live oak, and reclined my head, and at Fort Frederica, Ga. “under the whole spreading boughs that opened a spacious avenue leading to the former seat of General Oglethorpe.” One live oak tree called the Wesley Oak, named after the founder of the Methodist Church, John and Charles Wesley, was used to carve out a rugged, wooden cross, that is still used at the altar of the Christ’s Episcopal Church on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, also the island site of Fort Frederica, Georgia.ercus robur and Quercus petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of war, until the 19th century, and
Desk Desk measures 27" D x 48"l x 30"T. The top unit measures 36' l x 8" d x 8"T.
$1295.00
Sapele (African Mahogany) Sold
Beautiful Ribbon Sapele (Mahogany) . Pictures do not do this table justice. The table is a beautiful dark reddish color as Sapele is in the Mahogany family. The table has lighter colors which are the ribbon. The table measures 6' x 42" The table has been hand scraped due to all the figure. Top has been spline-jointed. The legs are mortised and pegged.. Our Sapele comes from farms and is not harvested from the Forrest.
Sapele:
Legend has it that an early botanist visiting Africa many years ago, saw this tree growing in a forest and asked his guide what it was called. The reply being ‘Khaya’ – which in the guide’s language meant ‘I don’t know’. The botanist, none the wiser, diligently wrote this down and the genus was named accordingly. – The species name anthotheca means flower in a case – although it is the seeds that are found in a hardened wooden case.
– The African mahogany naturally grows at medium to low altitudes in evergreen forests and riverine fringe forests.
– It is more than just a pretty face. The African mahogany yields one of the most important woods in many parts of Africa. It is hard, works easily and has a handsome grain. It also takes to fine polish, making it popular for furniture, flooring and panelling. It weathers well and is resistant to borers and termites. – The bark is bitter and used to treat colds, while the seed oil can be rubbed into the scalp to kill insects like lice.
Sapele 6' x 42" $ 1345.00
Douglas Fir Farm Table (Sale Pending)
Douglas Fir Farm table. This table measures 6’ x 36 . The top has been spline-jointed and hand-planned. The legs have been mortised and pegged. Bench (2) have been hand planned and spoke shaved. Legs have been mortised and pegged. Both have a waterproof and heat resistant finish. All the table requires is a damp cloth its entire life.Table and bench has been signed, numbered and dated.
Wood came out of an old grain elevator that belonged to Primeland Cooperative. Primeland Cooperative was originally forrmed as Lewiston Grain Growers, INC. The elevator was created by the merging of several smaller elevator companies and it became the largest grain shipper on the railroad. This grain elevator was built in 1941 out of Douglas Fir. It held 165,000 bushels.
Douglas Fir: According to popular myth, many mice hid inside the scales of the Douglas Fir tree's cones (see picture above), which was kind enough to offer sanctuary for them during forest fires. Each of the three sided bracts of the Douglas fir cone makes the tail and two tiny legs. Douglas fir trees are not a single species, as there are approximately 50 different species of Douglas firs that thrive throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In the past, Native people of North America used Douglas Firs both for nourishment and medicinal purposes. Dried inner bark was ground into a nutritious meal during times when there was a lack of food. On hot sunny days, when conditions were right, crystals of sugar formed at the tips of the needles and around the branches. This rare treat was eaten raw or collected for future use in sweeting food.
The dried sap of the Douglas fir was used to cure cold symptoms and the sticky buds were chewed to relive mouth sores. Young Douglas fir needles are high in Vitamin C and they were used to treat scurvy. Lumps of hardened sap were chewed to keep boredom away and to whiten teeth. The bark was used to make canoes and the roots were corded to stitch canoes and baskets and was used to make fishing nets. The name Douglas fir comes from a Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who first introduced the tree into cultivation in 1826. Growth ring picture shows how much wood has changed with humans adding supplements to the trees. Notice how tight the growth rings are beforehand and how they are in today's trees.