#223

NOW SOLD

NB Dane Elm and Chome Rollerball Pen

(25% of which will be donated to The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation for the continued upkeep of NB Dane) 

European Elm  - Ulmus procera

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time.

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is rebottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

As I cut deeper into the chunk of elm base plate the darker wearthered pieces give way to a much lighter almost ashy coloured wood with flecks of copper. This particular pen was turned on Wednesday 18th March 2015 just outside the Black Country Living Museum in Tipton, about four hours cruise from the centre of Birmingham. Like most of the visitor moorings locally the towpath is block paviour and makes a pleasant change from the muddy towpaths in the countryside.