Provenance of a Treasure

300 Year Old Reclaimed

The Journey of Reclaiming
Historic French White Oak

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Lower Brittany, France

It is an unfortunate truth about the world that cultural treasures, from artifacts to poems, are lost to the depths of history. An accidental fire ravishes a museum, a careless excavator destroys a buried chest or a manuscript is simply lost – these events happen all too often and easily. However, equally true is the fact that occasionally, a new treasure is discovered. This is the story of one of these finds, and it begins 300 years ago on the hills of Lower Brittany, France.

Reclaimed French white oak in a heritage-style great room

II.

The France of the 1700s was drastically different than it is today. It was a country slowly building to its great revolution, where a series of ideas and theories, later known as the Age of Enlightenment, were spreading across Parisian salons. A country growing weary of its decadent monarchy, filled with farmers who thrived and starved by the success of their harvest – where a yield necessitating building a storage barn was not only considered a sign of great luck but as a literal gift from God.

It was in this France that such a gift of God was granted.

Close view of reclaimed white oak planks

III.

We no longer know the name of the family that first built the barn, nor precisely what type of crop was stored in it. However, we do know that it was built from local old-growth White Oaks and judging by the quality of the cuts of wood, was crafted by a master.

Reclaimed white oak planks, centuries old

IV.

Once built, the barn stood humbly as history moved on.

It stood as Marie Antoinette was born, rose to Queen of France, then fell beneath the guillotine.
It stood as Napoleon's armies launched across Europe and stayed standing well after Napoleon landed in exile.
It stood and withstood throughout, only to be dismantled by a humble civil servant tasked with clearing land expropriated by Louis XVIII.

Again, we know little of this civil servant beyond that he recognized the value of the wood planks enough to store them safely.

Reclaimed French white oak floor in a contemporary home

These pieces of wood remained in storage as evermore events occurred around them until as part of Khayeri's dedication to sustainable sourcing, they were carefully reclaimed and restored. Now, these pieces are available for our most discerning customers. Being reclaimed, this collection is the only truly sustainable way to possess wood of this age. Each plank resonates with significance, living as more than elegant flooring but as a true historical treasure in its own right.

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Reclaimed

300 Year Old Reclaimed

Each plank resonates with significance

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