This mantel is absolutely stunning. While it is NOT hand-hewn, it has a wonderful amount of natural texture and cracking that really only comes with age. The cracks accentuate the character and authenticity of the wood, adding a distinct visual appeal. The warm chocolatey brown color developed over time in a barn and is not a stain. It is a natural artifact of old white oak. We apply Rubio Monocoat to bring out this great color.

The front face is free of mortise pockets. The bottom and top sides eac have one fill pocket. Originally a 10×10, the top was cut to clean up the beam. That results in a nice rectangular size of 7.5 inches tall and healthy, somewhat less common 9.5in deep. We applied ammonia to directly darken the fresh-cut surface. It is nice and flat for all of your decorations and family photos. The current length is 66 inches

This piece was from an early 1900s vintage barn near Hamburg, Minnesota. There was a wave of German immigration in the 1880s when nearly 1.5 million individuals left for the US. You can actually see ship names and passenger lists on immigrantships.net. With a little more searching, you can find images of these ships as well. Along with Hamburg, there are several other towns in the area – New Germany, Cologne, and New Ulm — all a tribute to their heritage. Local town festivals even included church services in German until about 20 years ago. Of course, beer and sausage are still very much a part of the festivities.

We can cut this mantel shorter and refinish the ends for an additional for no additional cost.

It can be shipped anywhere in the lower 48 states via FedEx Gnd for $150

About the tag – Vacuette vacuum cleaners started in the 1920s. They had a wooden handle and required the owner to oil regularly. They were created by Scott & Fetzer Company which later became Kirby Vacuum. This advertisement is for the “wireless” version, but an electric version was also available.