A Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company now offers rare Ukrainian and Siberian bog oak wood that was created from the trunks of fallen trees submerged in swamps and riverbeds for centuries.
“The rare discovery is a reminder of a time when the ancient forest did not know the presence of man,” says Allen Telt, founder and CEO of Telt, Inc. “One thousand years later, this wood is unchanged, and this discovery has allowed it to once again inspire us with its extraordinary beauty.”
Telt says bog oak is a naturally stained wood prized for its strength and beauty. Ranging in hue from golden brown to ebony, bog oak is created from the trunks of healthy trees that have been lying in lakes, rivers, swamps, and bogs for 2,500 to 5,000 years, the company says.
Deprived of oxygen, the wood is preserved from decay. As it absorbs salts and minerals from the environment, it acquires new properties.
Though reserves of the wood are rare on the global market, Telt has found “a cargo of perfectly preserved bog oak discovered aboard a sunken Turkish galley ship,” the company says. “Several dozen trunks, halved to a length of 20 meters each, were recovered from the ship.”
Independent testing from DirectAMS Radio Carbon Dating Service has confirmed that the trunks were cut from trees that grew 2,475 years ago, Telt adds.
Historically, bog oak was used for detail work, Telt explains, but modern drying methods have made it possible to process larger pieces of the partially fossilized wood for use in cabinetmaking, furniture, millwork, and other products.
“Each board comes with its own history, and no two pieces are alike,” says Telt. “This presents a unique opportunity for designers, woodworkers, artists, and architects.”