English ripple walnut tabletop detail

A few weeks before lockdown we took delivery of three magnificent UK grown timbers, English horse chestnut, Scotch elm and English ripple walnut. The photographs below only do partial justice to their raw natural beauty.

Their stories are captured within the grain and figure of the slabs. All three will make exceptionally stunning pieces of furniture, probably in the form of tables. Their stories will continue.

The tree is dead - Long live the tree

Two English burr horse chestnut slabs

These horse chestnut slabs came from a tree that once stood in the Lincolnshire village of Tetford. Each slab is 60 mm thick and over 3.2 metres in length with a width of up to 0.75 metres.

Book-matched elm

Two book-matched elm slabs, the perfect size for a tabletop (2.4 x 1.1 metre approx): The tree that this elm came from stood untouched by dutch elm disease almost at the very top of Scotland, in Elgin, Moray. The full story is not known: it may have fallen due to windfall or simply come to the end of its life. We are very privileged to be able to work with this beautiful timber.

Rippled English walnut

Two magnificent book-matched and rippled English walnut slabs, 3.3 metres in length. Together they will make a 1.1 to 1.2 metres width table. For a wider version the inner divide will be inset with more walnut, or possibly resin, thereby retaining the shape of each slab and the visible story within the tabletop.

If you would like to discuss a project please email me at [email protected].

In the meantime I hope you and your family are keeping safe and well and thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.

You can see more of my work on Instagram and my website.

Stay safe,
Jonathan

Cross grain Scotch burr elm table : 2.7 x 0.98 metres