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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Petrified Wood Bookends
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Petrified Wood Bookends

Artifact IDMO 1944.33.5
Object Type Bookend
Maker (1888 - 1945)
Dateca. 1943
Mediumstone (petrified wood), paint on concrete
Dimensionsoverall (each bookend) H 7 in x W 5 1/8 in x D 8 in (17.8 cm x 13 cm x 20.3 cm )
Physical DescriptionA pair of bookends featuring pieces of petrified wood. Estimated to be over 30 million years old, the petrified wood is almost completely opalized and partly agatized. The pieces are mounted on blocks of solid concrete painted with sparkling off-white paint. Each bookend block has a step design cast into the front and sides. Adhered to the underside of one of the bookends is a small paper label with printed information that reads: PETRIFIED WOOD / FROM OREGON / P. J. VAN BRUGGEN / 2526 N. E. WEIDLER / PORTLAND, ORE.
Historical NoteThis pair of bookends is part of a desk set that also includes a petrified wood paperweight (MO 1944.33.6). The set was sent to Franklin Roosevelt in April 1943 by the maker, Peter J. Van Bruggen of Portland, Oregon. The petrified wood pieces used in the set were discovered during the construction of power lines for the Bonneville Power Administration, a project on which Van Bruggen was an engineer.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDeposited at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 24, 1943. It was donated as a bequest of FDR to the Library in 1947.
Credit LineEstate of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesGift Items and Commemorative Artifacts (National Archives Identifier 782690)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
In Collection(s)
Not on view