Commission Stories
EVERY PIECE HAS A STORY.
A growing collection of one-of-a-kind commissions — created around the people, careers, places and memories worth preserving.
These pieces aren't designs from a catalog. Each began with a conversation and became something that could exist only for the person it was made for.
ERIC SASS — SASS ROD & CUSTOM
Built Like the Cars That Inspired It
Created for Eric Sass of SASS Rod & Custom, this legacy piece was designed around a lifetime spent building, restoring and reimagining extraordinary automobiles.
The centerpiece began as original artwork developed from Eric's world of custom cars and hot-rod culture, transformed into a detailed monochromatic composition and permanently laser engraved into the wood.
The surrounding details carry the story further. More than 100 individually set brass rods wrap the piece in a mechanical rhythm inspired by the precision and repetition of automotive fabrication. A .50 BMG cartridge anchors the center, while eleven .45 ACP casings are incorporated into the design, giving the piece an unmistakably industrial character.
Every material was chosen to feel at home in Eric's world — walnut, brass, ammunition and automotive imagery brought together with the same attention to proportion, detail and finish that defines a custom-built car.
It isn't a reproduction of something from his shop.
It's a portrait of the craftsman, told through the language of his craft.
The centerpiece required extensive digital image development, combining automotive imagery and custom composition into original artwork designed specifically for engraving into the finished piece.
Built for Eric Sass. Built only once.
OFFICER MAZONE — HARBOR DIVISION
A Career Anchored in the Harbor
Created to commemorate Officer Mazone's career with the Los Angeles Police Department Harbor Division, this legacy piece was designed around the place, identity and details that defined his years of service.
At the center of the design is an original mural depicting the Harbor Division headquarters and the working waterfront of San Pedro. The artwork was developed specifically for laser engraving, translating the architecture, harbor environment and character of the division into a detailed monochromatic rendering before being permanently burned into the wood.
A custom rendering of Mazone's LAPD badge was laser engraved into slate and set into the piece as a personal centerpiece. Brass boat cleats serve as cigar rests, tying the functional design directly back to the maritime character of Harbor Division.
Walnut, slate, brass and original artwork come together to tell one story: Officer Mazone's career and his connection to the harbor he served.
The Harbor Division mural was developed as original digital artwork, combining architectural and waterfront imagery into a detailed composition created specifically for laser engraving.
Built to be used. Made to remember.
SPRUCE ISLAND — LAKE OF THE WOODS
A Place Made Permanent
Spruce Island began with a place that means far more than its location on a map: a private island on Lake of the Woods, surrounded by open water, northern forest and the unmistakable landscape of Minnesota's lake country.
The commission was designed to capture the experience of the island rather than simply depict it. Original artwork brings together the shoreline, towering spruce, water and wildlife of Lake of the Woods, including the muskie that has become part of the region's identity.
The story continues across the piece. Eight individually designed side panels create a visual journey around the island and its surroundings, while five cigar rests are integrated into the Octave's geometry.
On the reverse, the story moves from the lake to the night sky. A custom constellation map recreates the stars above Spruce Island, with individual brass pins marking significant stars including Polaris, Vega, Deneb, Altair, Arcturus and Antares.
Walnut, brass, original artwork and precise engraving transform a geographic location into something much more personal: a physical record of a place, the experiences lived there, and the memories that will remain long after everyone has gone home.
The commission required extensive image development and original digital composition, bringing together landscape, wildlife, geographic and celestial elements into artwork created specifically for engraving.
Some places aren't simply visited. They become part of the family.
JOE SWEENEY — A FIREFIGHTER'S LEGACY
A Life of Service. A Story Carried Forward.
Created in memory of Joe Sweeney and his career with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, this Sentinel was designed not simply to recognize years of service, but to preserve the story of the man behind the badge for the family that followed him.
At its center is an original commemorative mural developed from photographs and imagery connected to Joe's life in the fire service. Those references were reworked into a detailed monochromatic composition specifically designed for laser engraving, turning family photographs, department history and personal details into a permanent part of the finished piece.
Fire-service elements continue throughout the surrounding walnut. Four silver-toned twin-bugle Captain insignias are individually recessed into the wood, while brass details frame the composition and give the piece the weight and permanence appropriate to the career it represents.
The inscription carries his name and dates forward:
Jon A. Sweeney Sr.
June 26, 1937 – February 22, 2011
More than a memorial, the finished Sentinel is a family object, created to preserve a father's career, a firefighter's service and the memories attached to both.
The central mural required extensive photographic restoration, image development and digital composition, transforming historical photographs and fire-service imagery into original artwork suitable for detailed engraving in walnut.
The service ended. The legacy didn't.
SERGIO DIAZ — A CAREER OF SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP
From the LAPD to Chief of Police
Created to honor Sergio Diaz and a distinguished career in law enforcement, this commission traces his journey through the Los Angeles Police Department and ultimately to his service as Chief of Police for the City of Riverside.
The artwork was developed specifically around the places, departments and symbols that defined that career. Extensive digital image development and original composition brought together multiple sources, including law-enforcement imagery, department references and recognizable Riverside landmarks, into a single cohesive mural.
Each element was carefully selected, edited and reworked for laser engraving, where photographic detail must be translated into light, shadow and texture before it can be permanently rendered into the finished piece. The result is not simply a collection of photographs, but original artwork created specifically for this commission.
The finished piece brings together fine hardwood, precision engraving and personal details to commemorate decades of public service and the progression from LAPD officer to Riverside's Chief of Police.
A career remembered. A legacy made permanent.
THE GALAXY
Built to mark the beginning of a life together.
The Galaxy was created for an engagement ceremony, designed as a one-of-one object to hold meaning beyond the event itself.
The octagonal form was chosen for its symmetry and balance, then elevated with richly figured walnut, contrasting hardwoods, brass details, and a refined interior. Every material and proportion was selected to give the piece a sense of permanence, ceremony, and quiet luxury.
A hidden audio system adds another layer to the experience. When the lid is opened, the piece begins playing Richard Blair-Oliphant’s How the Universe Works, turning the opening itself into part of the ceremony. The mechanism is concealed beneath the interior so the technology remains secondary to the object and the moment.
Rather than serving as a temporary presentation piece, Galaxy was conceived as an heirloom, something intended to remain part of the couple’s story long after the engagement itself.
Materials
Figured walnut · Contrasting hardwoods · Brass · Refined interior lining
Design
Octagonal geometry · Custom interior layout · Concealed audio system · Precision joinery · One-of-one detailing
Commission Type
Engagement / Legacy Commission
Created for a single ceremony. Built to remain for generations.
