Before it was yours

This elm came from Vancouver Island -- sourced by a woodturning friend who shares stock from time to time. His material all comes from the island, and he has a good eye for what's worth keeping. This piece was a crotch section -- the place where a branch left the main trunk. Crotch wood is where the tree put the most effort into holding itself together, and that tension shows in the grain. The figure that comes out of a well-placed crotch cut is unlike anything else elm produces. I wish I'd had the camera out earlier. By the time I thought to document it, the blank was already cut.