The Angel City Desk is an original design built on spec for the showroom at Angel City Lumber in Downtown Los Angeles.
In 2020, it was donated to a BLM Auction run through Angel City Lumber that benefited the local independent black-owned bookstore, Eso Won Books, with 100% of the proceeds being used to fund their community book donation efforts.
The desk combines the natural beauty of the live edge spalted slab with an elegant and simple hand turned base and matching drawer fronts.
The slab top of this desk was from an urban tree salvaged by Angel City Lumber whose mission is unique:
“ACL intercepts trees that would otherwise end up chipped or in a landfill. We custom mill and dry the wood before offering it for sale. We strive to provide high quality hardwood products through simply reusing what would otherwise be considered ‘waste.'”
Like some of the trees that Angel City comes by, this one was a bit too far gone to make an absolutely positive identification of species. But my best guess is that this slab is from a log of well spalted ash. Regardless, it is loaded with character and color.
The base of this desk is made of black cherry, which was then ebonized with iron acetate. This base design would be at home under any species of slab top, and be equally beautiful with a more traditional solid board top to fit into a myriad of design interiors.