Building
-ATLAS-
The backbone of this piece is a solid slab of Bubinga. This exotic hardwood is found only in the equatorial belt of Africa. With Orion also positioned on Earth’s celestial equator, this tree grew directly under the very stars it now displays. Bubinga is one of the most revered species in the world and is championed for its beautiful figuring and exceptional durability.
The outside of the table is fitted with four corner guards forged out of Muonionalusta meteorite. This meteorite fell to Earth around 1 million years ago and itself is over 4.5 billion years old. To put that in perspective, the stars of Orion formed within the last 5 to 12 million years. That makes these corner guards thousands of times older than Orion itself.
At the center of the table rests a large obsidian sphere. This naturally forming volcanic glass is a powerful stone with many notable properties. Used for centuries as a grounding healer, it is said to absorb negative energies and align one’s root chakra with the third eye chakra. This stone is also used in scrying, the practice of nurturing psychic connections with the universe. Obsidian has long been revered for its physical and metaphysical properties alike; a tool for both the body and mind. With its deep black appearance, reflective surface, spherical shape, and undeniable gravity, this centerpiece is a beautiful representation of space itself.
Beneath the obsidian centerpiece are four lines that mark each side’s Galactic and Ecliptic planes. These lines are inlaid with actual moon dust. Usually illegal to possess, this lunar dust was gathered legally when a larger lunar rock was cut into smaller pieces.
The stars that make up the Orion and Scorpius constellations are hand forged solid gold with a purity of 999.99 and a combined weight of over 5 ounces, This is some of the purest gold in the world, guaranteeing they will always shine bright and never tarnish. The rest of the stars are solid silver with a similar purity and weight. 127 stars in total provide a stunning reflection of the heavens.
Supporting the tabletop is a base that was designed with strength and simplicity in mind. The wood was carefully chosen construction grade quarter sawn Douglass Fir. ‘DF’ has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any species. When quarter sawn it is even stronger, with a particularly straight grain that is championed for its stability. The pieces were hand fitted together using mortise and tenon joinery, the strongest of all wood joints. Spikes of blued steel were driven through both sides of each joint, ensuring a permanent fit. The wood was then burned, rubbed, and re-burned on all sides. The practice of heat treating wood has been used since pre-historic times, with evidence dating back over 400,000 years. Carbonizing wood with fire makes it harder and more resistant to heat, moisture, insects, and any other degradation. Combining all of these features ensures that ATLAS will stand the test of time.
Solid Art
-Built to last forever-
