Table Made From a Tree in Shakespeare’s Garden to Be Auctioned

A family living in southern England accidentally discovered that an ordinary dining table in their home is connected to the great literary figure William Shakespeare.

The owners had used the piece of furniture for years without ever considering its historical value. According to “The Telegraph,” the round table, which is around 200 years old, was made from oak and mulberry wood. It is now set to be sold at auction.

Experts have estimated its starting value at around $10,600, although they expect the final price at auction could be significantly higher.

The round table, measuring 135 centimeters in diameter, was made in 1830. Its top features 52 oval decorative elements made from mulberry wood.

According to experts, the number of these decorations is not accidental — each one is said to represent one year of the great playwright’s 52-year life.

According to Will Rowsell, a representative of Toovey’s auction house, the mulberry tree used for the table was planted by Shakespeare himself in 1609.

At that time, King James I had ordered the planting of mulberry trees in England in an effort to develop the silk industry.

However, in 1756, the new owner of the house became tired of tourists and admirers visiting Shakespeare’s garden and had the historic tree cut down.

The remains of the tree were later used to create various decorative souvenirs in memory of the great writer.

The table made from pieces of this historic tree was passed down from generation to generation and eventually inherited by its current owners.

Although the family suspected that the table might be special, they did not know its true historical value. Its remarkable story was only uncovered by experts after the owners decided to sell it in order to finance home renovation work.