HISTORY:
Our family is very much into "the Arts" in all it's forms, from music, works of art and including handcrafted items in a using a variety of materials such as porcelain, china, silver and even timber.
While we tended to purchase 'traditional' oil, water-colour based artworks but sometimes a beautiful handcrafted piece in other materials would catch our eye, this very nice desk 'ornament' is one such item.
While nice to look at, it is the timber itself that originally attracted me to this letter holder.
Jarrah trees (Eucalyptus marginata) is a slow growing, hardy tree that is only found in the South Western areas of Western Australia (East of Perth down to Albany) A Jarrah tree can take 250 ~ 400 years to reach 70cm diameter, life for a Jarrah tree is slow and steady as she goes ...
For me the Jarrah tree represents persistence and longetivity and when I saw this at a souvenir shop many moons ago, I had to have it!
It has been with me on my home office desk ever since but now that I am "fading into the sunset" it is time for another to be inspired by a creation of nature that inspires the spirit of 'never giving up'
As for it's original purpose, well that has not been such a good story over time ... the days of letter receiving are becoming threatened by the digital age and eventually will be no more. In years to come people will see objects like this and ask "what on earth was that for? What? A letter, what are they?"
This souvenir has been well made using three pieces of Jarrah, with a very smooth (but hard to the touch) finish, unfortunately though I do not know by whom ... there is a metallic Gold sticker on the base indicating is was designed and made in Western Australia but WITHOUT A NAME! I do not recognise the graphic (outline of WA perhaps) either. So who designed and made this item is a mystery to me.
I am assuming the Jarrah timber used was 'reclaimed' either prior to the Jarrah tree becoming protected (in old growth forests) back in 2001 and I seem to recall I bought this back in the late 1980's or early 1990's
UNKNOWN DESIGNER & MANUFACTURER - Timber Souvenir
Designed & manufacturer in Western Australia
Jarrah timber
Finish is a low level sheen, not glossy but neither is it matt
Desk Letter Holder
One side has a small, shield shaped 'stick on' resin graphic titled ALBANY WA with the graphics being of a whale
Three pieces of Jarrah are used, the base and onto this base has been placed two boomerang shaped sides. I cannot tell if only glue was used or a dowel to hold the sides straight and true but it is extremely secure (no movement of the sides at all) and parallel to each other.
Underside has a metallic Gold stick-on label indicated where it was designed and made (Western Australia)
DIMENSIONS:
Base: 66mm x 143mm
Height: 72mm
Distance between the two Boomerang sides: 22mm (this will hold plenty of letters//bills!)
WEIGHT: 250g
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
Well kept & clean
Always just been sitting on the desk!
NO scratching
NO dents (it never got thrown at anyone, no matter how frustrating they may be!)
Now that this timber piece is waiting for another desk to live on, I have placed it in a sealed clear plastic packet to ensure the condition remains unchanged - it will be supplied the same way
