We create beautiful things all the time, but when we create with reclaimed materials, it’s a special kind of fun.

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Old growth Fir, vintage saw marks and time combined are truly special. I thoroughly enjoy a trip to Western Reclaimed Timber with a vision in mind. Searching for just the right timber — for a specific project — is a highly satisfying endeavour. We sort, select and envision what each piece will be: a mantle, a door, feature wall, or perhaps a custom mirror. My personal favourite, though, was the Boardroom table.

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After we arrived at Western Reclaimed Timber, we selected the planks, loaded the truck, and headed back to the shop. This table would be a large oval with a trestle base to suit a specific space. Once the sketches were complete, we made the oval templates and finalized the base component. From there, we started production.

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As the table came together, I began to wonder about the provenance of the timber. What was its story? I made a call to Amika at Western Reclaimed Timber to try and find out. She informed me that the timber had come from The Golden Noodle Restaurant in Victoria. Golden Noodle?! That didn’t sound very historic.

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Enter the almighty: Google. I searched The Golden Noodle and found an address. I searched and searched until I found that at the turn of the century, Victoria changed some street names and addresses, making things a bit trickier. I was able to determine that the timber came from the Clay Building — built by confectioner Henry Clay circa 1895. With the help of an intrepid University of Victoria student, we attempted to find a vintage photo of the building at the Victoria Archives but were unsuccessful. One image of a horse and buggy outside the building next door was the closest we could get. We tried.

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Through a series of events, the table is now in my possession and in use as my desk. I am happy to be its steward, and often wonder — as I run my hands over its saw marks — if Henry Clay would like it.