1905 Turned Sycamore Block

On display the evening of the chamber event, sectioned off with velvet ropes, stood the oldest known Boos Block® in existence. A 1905 Turned Sycamore Block owned by the Marge Kaufman family of Sigel, IL was loaned out for the week. Previously, Marge visited the showroom & outlet store and came to mention she had a fairly old block. Little did she know it is one of the oldest Boos Blocks® known to exist! The Turned Sycamore Block is made of one solid log with three legs. Essentially, a section of a tree was cut into a log and then the bark was whittled away to reveal the true sycamore wood, growth rings and all. One leg was designed to be slightly shorter than the other two to give the block a slight lean so that all the juices would run off. Measuring 34” in diameter, and 15” deep, this block could not have been found at a more ideal time. The 1905 block is a reminder of the fine craftsmanship and quality that is put into manufacturing each and every John Boos product. A round block made from on piece of wood, its survival parallels the strength of the company…John Boos stands with strength built on a block of American history.