In Old Europe, it was said that Ravens are birds of ill omen. It is not known when they first came to the Tower of London, but the presence of the Ravens there is surrounded by myth and legend. Ill omen or not, the future of both Country and Kingdom relies upon their continued residence, for, according to legend, “at least six ravens must remain lest both Tower and Monarchy fall.”

This Raven Master’s Staff was commissioned by Blair Glenn of Saratoga, California, United States of America, to be a gift to his friend Thomas E. Trent, a yeoman warder of the Queen’s House in the Tower of London. It was designed and constructed by Bernie Ross of San Jose, California, and presented at Mr. Glenn’s home to Mr. Trent on September 10, 2004.

Mr. Ross, a sculptor of wood and lover of old customs, traditions, and legends, gave thought to the long and celebrated history of woodworking that Britons treasure. He had been intrigued about the position of the Raven Master, and always regarded it as such a wonderfully odd tradition to keep alive. Being an American of English ancestry, Mr. Ross takes pleasure in knowing that woodworking is one of the finer gifts given to Americans by common ancestry. When choosing materials for the Raven Master’s Staff, his idea was to incorporate the history of Britain.

The Raven’s head is carved out of genuine Mahogany from the New World. Mr. Ross’ use of Mahogany represents the rich woods that the first English maritime vessels bestowed upon the Halls of England. From the Old World, the beak of the Raven is Ebony from Africa, and its eyes are carved Amber. The top of the staff below the head is turned from European Elm, a wood known for its interlocking grain. Much like the integrity of Britain, Elm will not split—it stays together. The middle part of the staff is made from American Holly, the whitest wood. Mr. Ross chose it to represent the White Tower, the famed observatory of the Tower of London where legend has it that the Ravens first appeared.

The bottom of the staff is fashioned from Ebony. The black color of its wood represents the darkness that Britain would surely fall into should the Ravens ever leave the Tower.

For the box that stores the Staff, Mr. Ross chose English Walnut, having obtained a length of walnut wood from Mr. Glenn that, as a woodworker’s eye can surely see, is a “piece in a million.”

While creating the Raven Master’s Staff, Mr. Ross was driven by the idea that it should represent the long, healthy relationship of two old friends.

The Tower of London website has more information about the ravens and the legend.