Keepsake Chest This chest was made to store keepsakes, but could just as easily be used to store ammunition or a stash of candy; its just that universal. It measures about 8" high, 14” long, and 8” wide, and is adorned with antique reproduction handles and latch. The box is made from white oak with a maple stripe and the top is a raised panel hinged lid made from Tamo ash. Aside from the stunning and very rare figured ash, the white oak makes it equally special. The white oak lumber came from logs that had been recovered from the bottom of the St. Lawerence River in Jefferson County, NY. The logs (all axe cut by the way) had sunk sometime in the late 1800’s or early 1900's after the wood raft they were being transported on had broke apart. Submerged in the cold oxygen free water, the logs were perfectly preserved and protected from decay. Back in the mid 90’s when I was a forester for a sawmill in upstate NY, I had the pleasure of actually being on the boat when the logs were pulled off the bottom of the river, and were then sawn by the sawmill I worked for. I was able to acquire a few boards. The growth rings are incredibly tight, the result of a tight canopy competitive virgin forest (last pic). Pretty special indeed. I can design and build a custom chest like this but unfortunately, the salvaged virgin oak is unavailable and would have to be substituted with another species.