Bocote Spalted Maple 504
Artwork Description
This handcrafted heirloom jewellery box is made from specially chosen materials that will be treasured now and in the generations to come.
The sides are made of Brazilian Bocote. This exotic hardwood is one of the most beautiful and useful woods available to us today. It’s is a popular choice for high end furniture and musical instruments. I have chosen this wood because of the distinctive black lines throughout the grain pattern. This particular piece came from Brazil and was harvested several years ago. Though this wood is not on the endangered species list it is highly sought after and it can be a challenge to find the right piece for these boxes. The continuous grain pattern allows the eyes to follow it all the way around the box.
The lid is made of Spalted Maple. Spalted maple is not a distinct species of maple; rather it is maple wood that has undergone spalting. The spalting process is where fungi colonize the wood and creates distinctive dark lines, streaks and colour variations. This fungal activity occurs in wood that has begun the initial stages of decay but is then dried to prevent further deterioration, preserving the wood’s structural integrity. The profile used on this piece is chosen because of the smooth transition between the edges and the centre of the wood.
The material between the box and the lid is hard Eastern Maple. This same wood is used for the splines, handles, dividers and the base. The use of the maple for the accents in this box was so that the chosen material of the box and lid was not diminished by the other pieces that made up the whole box.
The trays are made of olive wood and give them a smooth texture. There are 2 trays that allow treasures to be placed on 3 levels. Each of the dividers are removable if you choose to do so.
