When a tree is under stress from a virus, insect or other cause, it protects itself by developing a burl, an irregular, knobby-looking growth near its base or trunk.
When harvested, a cross section of burl wood reveals a unique, beautifully grained pattern in a range of colors (depending on the tree species), highly desired in furniture and other woodworking crafts. Burl wood is hard to work with because its interlocking grain pattern causes it to chip and shatter unpredictably, according to Wikipedia, adding to its ultimate cost.
“Burl wood has always carried a sense of quiet drama. It is organic and imperfect, yet incredibly refined, and that balance makes it feel both storied and fresh every time it comes back into the spotlight,” said Lifestyle Historian Julia Reinert.
In late Victorian and Edwardian England, Reinert said, cabinet makers often used burr walnut and yew in marquetry panels to bring movement and visual interest into very formal furniture. It served to soften and animate traditional silhouettes.
“In the 1920s and 1930s, French Art Deco designers such as Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann embraced burl as a luxury surface. They used it in sweeping veneers that highlighted craftsmanship and gave furniture a jewel-box quality.”
During the mid-century period, American studio makers experimented with burl as accent panels and small sculptural surfaces, Reinert said. “While not as dominant as later eras, this period created a connection to the dramatic use of burl that would define the 1970s.”
Burl wood options have expanded from lighter tones, which are more common, to the darker, richer burls seen at last month’s market on console tables, bar cabinets, even lamp bases. The deeper burl tones that were at market bridges the Deco formality and the warmth of the ‘70s, Reinert noted.
Here’s a sample:
