Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA
02-10-2004, 10:21 AM
I just returned from an eight day cruise of the Western Carribbean and while I was there, naturally looked for interesting wood or craftmanship. We stopped at an "Indigenous Population" village and I found a turned lidded box. Touristy, I know, but I liked it. I talked to the artist (Elvis Samuels) while he was carving wooden fish, and the subject came to turning pens. I just happened to have a couple on me and showed them to him. He loved them and we struck a trade for a couple pieces of Zericote (Cordia Dodecandra) or as the Maya Indians called it "Chackopte". Both pieces are 14" X 2 1/2" X 1" ... it should make some beautiful pens. You can see the drawing on the one he was going to make a shark out of.