Spalted Silver Maple Barrettes

These attractively spalted silver maple barrettes came from a tree in Midway, Kentucky. It was from the back yard of the Porter House. This is an old 18th century inn where the Porter House steak originated.

The tree had become so large that neighbors feared damage if it came down in a storm and so it was taken down. The wood had been there some months before I got there and so the spalting process was already well begun.

I was not sure what I was going to do with it but I am now glad that I moved it with me when I moved to Maryland five years ago. The clasps on those shown above and the larger one below are 2 5/8 inches long and the smaller ones are considerably less.