Furniture Complete

Caden’s Memorial Box

Teak, oak, lignum vitae — a box for remembering.

A memorial box for Caden, built as a Christmas gift for my brother years after his son’s death. Caden was Thai and American, so the front and back are specially sourced Thai teak and the sides are American white oak — hand-cut dovetails, cut slowly. The floor is lignum vitae (“wood of life”). The lid is white oak with a purpleheart stripe and teak trim, on a polished brass hinge. Inside the lid, a small ledge holds a framed photo when open; a brass wire at the front corner holds a beeswax votive so the light can fall on the picture.

Closed memorial box: white oak lid with a purpleheart stripe, teak front, oak sides.

Front view of the closed box on the bench: teak front, oak lid with a purpleheart stripe.

Box open: photo ledge inside the lid, lignum vitae floor, beeswax votive in a small glass at the front corner.

Open from above: oak lid with purpleheart stripe on a brass hinge, empty teak and oak box.

Build details

Thai teak, American white oak, and a lignum vitae floor. The wood choice was the point.

Teak and oak

Thai teak on the front and back; American white oak on the sides. Caden was both.

Hand-cut dovetails

Cut slowly.

Lignum vitae floor

The floor is lignum vitae — “wood of life.”

Photo and votive

A ledge inside the lid for a framed photo. A brass wire holds a beeswax votive so the light can fall on the picture.

Current status

Finished November 2022.