Burl Walnut and Horse Hames

I went to an auction last Sunday. It was terrible. I got there about a half hour after it started (caused by a delay induced by a Meeker County Deputy Sheriff who wanted to discuss my speed). The place was full with lots of people standing around and sitting on the furniture that was eventually going to sell. I sat next to my friend Steve and his wife Jan in the very back corner of the room and ate the Subway sandwich that I brought with me. I didn't even look around until the sandwich was devoured.

It turned out that the sandwich was much more important than any of the goods that I had to look at. There were piles and piles and boxes and boxes of stuff, but not the kind of stuff that I find interesting. I saw nothing that I would even bid on.

About an hour into the auction they sold the 20 or so guns that were listed. I don't buy guns because I do not know anything about them and they are too expensive to start learning at an auction. About half the crowd left after the guns were sold. I decided to make one more tour of the place before I too departed. There, in space which was recently vacated by the butts of gaukers, was a cool little table. It has a 2-3 inch thick slice of black walnut burl mounted on legs made from steel horse hames and fitted with horseshoe feet. Now I had a reason to stay at the auction for a few more hours.

The top is dirty and has some holes filled with some kind of plastic filler, but it is going to look great after a good sanding and a few coats of some kind of clear finish.

Mr. Flannery