–SOLD to David S in Bent Mountain, Virginia (VA) —
–November 11, 2018 —

This mantel was cut out of a very large 10in x 10in x 20ft main support beam. It is a wonderfully beautiful Rock Elm. Rock Elm is an interesting wood because it is so slow growing, it is virtually unavailable on the modern market. However, we find it from time to time in different areas here and there. It is a very hard wood — almost as hard as maple — but it has much more interesting color variations, grains, and tiny knots.

The top and bottom are cut slabs, but the front edge shows off some hints of the original circle sawing.

This beam is from a 19-teens barn near Waconia, Minnesota. The old barn was about 2 or 3 miles from Swedish immigrant, Andrew Peterson, Farm. The Andrew Peterson farm became famous, particularly in Sweden, after the meticulous journals he kept became the basis for Vilhelm Moberg’s Emigrants book series.