Lot 1

Stunning Table Benefiting the Theodore Roosevelt Association

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Stunning Table Benefiting the Theodore Roosevelt Association

Current Bid: $10

(1 Bid)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Stunning Table Crafted from the Historic Copper Beech Tree Planted by President Theodore Roosevelt at Sagamore Hill Sold for the Benefit of the Theodore Roosevelt Association 125 years ago when Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States, a small copper beech tree (Fagus sylvatica purpurea) was growing at his home at Sagamore Hill on Long Island. The tree had been planted by Roosevelt just a few years earlier in the mid-1890s right outside the window of his study near the home's entrance and continued to grow throughout his lifetime. The sapling inched upwards as Roosevelt and the Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill under a hail of Spanish bullets. Countless visitors passed on by as they made their way into the "Summer White House" to visit Roosevelt during his presidency. As a devoted naturalist, Roosevelt no doubt noted the tree's progress over the years, glancing out the window as the leaves changed with the passing seasons and he worked on his many books and articles nearby, covering both his own exploits and those of generations of Americans before him. The copper beech stood sentinel over the house when Roosevelt died in his sleep on January 6, 1919. By that time, it was already quite sizable, and for the next century its branches would continue reaching upwards, long after Roosevelt passed on, until it towered over 60 feet height, shading his historic home. In 2019, one hundred years after Roosevelt's death and the founding of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the iconic copper beech tree at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site was ailing and was carefully cut down to protect the home and its visitors. A cutting from the great and historic tree has been planted on the grounds of Sagamore Hill, ensuring that it lives on. The wood from the tree was preserved by the Theodore Roosevelt Association for special projects honoring Roosevelt's legacy, much like the wood from the historic Charter Oak preserved by Samuel Colt and others in 1856. Wood blanks from the copper beech were saved for future projects, including furniture and paneling for the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library which opens this Fourth of July in Medora, North Dakota, in celebration of 250 years of American independence. The conservation and preservation of the wood is a fitting tribute to our first conservationist president, a man who has done more than any other to preserve America's wildness, setting aside over 200 million acres of land as National Parks, Monuments, Forests and Wildlife Refuges. In 1915, he wrote a proclamation to American school children about the importance of Arbor Day, stating: "A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as hopeless..." His legacy continues to inspire generation after generation of Americans, especially the hunter-conservationists dedicated to preserving the habitat of the nation's wildlife, including its iconic game species. The Theodore Roosevelt Association founded in 1919 and chartered by an act of Congress in 1920 remains dedicated to perpetuating the memory and ideals of Theodore Roosevelt. The association asked Simon Roosevelt, the great-great-grandson of President Roosevelt, to take charge of the project, and he in turn enlisted his friend and fellow sportsman-conservationist Ward M. “Trig” French. They were determined to meet the task with combined effort and hit upon the idea that a grand table would honor both the tree and the conservation legacy of President Roosevelt. The bespoke design and fabrication were overseen by French in Connecticut and completed in 2025. The design drawings and details are included. The impressive table measures 12 feet long, up to 55 inches wide, and 30 inches tall. The table features beautiful natural grain, knots, and figure, and one spot shows the ends of a copper cable the tree grew around, possibly a piece of a grounding cable for a lightning rod and certainly a fitting extra detail for the copper beech. At the center are the designs of Roosevelt's Maltese Cross and Elkhorn cattle brands used at his Chimney Butte and Elkhorn Ranches respectively near Medora, North Dakota, in the 1880s, inlaid in black walnut. The trestle table is supported on legs also shaped as the Maltese Cross brand and held together by a blacksmith's twisted wrought iron connecting rod. The large table is designed to be completely disassembled in pieces to make it easily movable, itself a feature fitting for Theodore Roosevelt, a larger than life figure always on the move. There will be no buyer’s premium collected on this lot. All proceeds from the sale of this remarkable and historic offering will go directly to the Theodore Roosevelt Association. Chartered by an act of Congress in 1920, the Theodore Roosevelt Association perpetuates the legacy, memory, and ideals of the 26th U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt. The TRA aims to inspire the next generation of leaders through historical scholarship, educational programs, and community support initiatives.

Manufacturer: None

Model: None

Class: Other

  • Provenance: The Copper Beech Tree Planted by Theodore Roosevelt c. 1895; The Theodore Roosevelt Association

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000