Huon pine and the bubonic plague

**underfoot** · 1st April 2010, 04:39 PM

I was carving a piece of huon pine yesterday and noticed that the annular growth rings were about as tight as I'd ever seen. So I counted them. (with a magnifying glass and verniers) . The annual rings varied between 28-51 per 10mm (which I averaged out to about 100 years of growth per 25mm).
The billet I started with was a piece of 190x100mm which allowed me to count (diagonally) 210mm worth of annual rings, which equals about 800 years of growth in the piece I was working

.
I extrapolated the arc of the growth rings to the heart which added another 300 years to its life. (there was no sign of bark so I have no idea of the actual age)

But at the very least, the shoulder of the figure I was carving was growing in 1300AD when the bubonic plague decimated 1/3 of the population of Europe.
The wood in the neck at 1475 AD was there when Michealangelo was born,
and Shakespeare was writing Hamlet somewhere around her breasts

Hmmmm...humbling really

**bench1holio** · 1st April 2010, 05:06 PM

such a romantic!

**nine fingers** · 1st April 2010, 05:37 PM

Who was the model.

**wheelinround** · 1st April 2010, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by nine fingers

Who was the model.

He can't recall her face John

Nice figure UF good work on the aging of the wood, will this be adding value to your piece?

**artme** · 1st April 2010, 06:28 PM

I'll bet Shakespeare's women didn't smell as nice as the Huon!

Nice one Undie.

**tea lady** · 1st April 2010, 06:43 PM

So do ya reckon Shakespear was a b**b man?

It is humbling isn't it.

I'll look at my huon in a whole new light.

**wheelinround** · 1st April 2010, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by tea lady

So do ya reckon Shakespear was a b**b man?

It is humbling isn't it.

I'll look at my huon in a hole new light.

TL your pm box is full

**springwater** · 1st April 2010, 10:29 PM

Can't help but ponder about destiny, like 1600 years of living... to...become...a...nipple

and what about the Huon that was carved off, went to ground, got swept up, put in a plastic bag and chucked in the rubbish bin? Pretty deep and meaningful aye...pretty deep and meaningful

Wonderful work though Undy, just amazing

**tea lady** · 1st April 2010, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

Can't help but ponder about destiny, like 1600 years of living... to...become...a...nipple

and what about the Huon that was carved off, went to ground, got swept up, put in a plastic bag and chucked in the rubbish bin? Pretty deep and meaningful aye...pretty deep and meaningful

Wonderful work though Undy, just amazing

Now I feel sorry for the bit of huon that wasn't the nipple.

Fancy being the last shaving that got taken off. Nearly destined for greatness. Grew for 1000 years. Got cut down, seasoned, selected off the shelf, and carved by Undie. Only to end up on the floor.

Better go and sweep all the shaving up Undie. They should go in the exhibition too.

**tea lady** · 1st April 2010, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by wheelinround

TL your pm box is full

I emptied it a bit.

(But I got me a 'w' already.

)

**springwater** · 1st April 2010, 11:39 PM

Here's to all the shavings that didn't become nipples...and other bits n' pieces...we love youse all

**underfoot** · 2nd April 2010, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by tea lady

Now I feel sorry for the bit of huon that wasn't the nipple.

Fancy being the last shaving that got taken off. Nearly destined for greatness. Grew for 1000 years. Got cut down, seasoned, selected off the shelf, and carved by Undie. Only to end up on the floor.

Better go and sweep all the shaving up Undie. They should go in the exhibition too.

I feel terrible now

perhaps I could send some of the offcuts from the 1300s (samurai era) to Spring for the piece he is working on.
or some bits from the French revolution(1700's) for TL to add to her work,
and there's some small scraps here from the dark ages.

............the pen turners can have them..

**artme** · 2nd April 2010, 06:18 AM

Darage pens

Now there's a thought!

**rsser** · 2nd April 2010, 06:27 AM

FWIW, like the Huon, Bubonic plague is still around in several places in the world inc California.

**adeben** · 3rd April 2010, 03:12 PM

OK, so I'm a pedant, but you cannot 'decimate' a third of the population. 'Decimate' means to reduce by one-tenth. Rant over.

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