Brown Oak is technically not a distinct species of oak, but rather refers to oak that has been infected with a fungus. This fungus (Fistulina hepatica) has the effect of turning the wood a deep brown colour but once the wood is dry, the fungus dies, leaving a rich golden brown colour. This piece has the added bonus of having quite a lot of figure in it. I have filled all the cracks and splits with contrasting bronze epoxy giving the urn an even more unique quality. The 12 tpi threaded lid is made from a piece of English Boxwood. Brown Oak has a lovely rich chocolate colour with darker flecks in the heartwood with a pale straw coloured sapwood. All the Oaks are moderately difficult to dry without any splitting, this is when I use my Kintsugi technique to fill the splits making a feature of them rather than try to disguise them.