Herbie the Tree: Immortalizing the Elm That Stood For 217 Years

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Courtesy Andrew Olson, AO Guitars

Herbie the elm lives on, albeit as an electric guitar.

The AP is reporting that the magnificent New England tree, which was cut down in January after a long and valiant battle with Dutch elm disease, has been “reincarnated” into all sorts of goods, thanks to some very creative artisans. This weekend, Yarmouth, Maine will host an auction of Herbie products, including everything from a gorgeous guitar to timeless salad bowls.

Herbie, in case you’re not up on your landmark trees, was one of America’s largest, and ring-counting determined it to be about 217 years old.

It inspired poems and survived as long as it did thanks in no small part to caretaker Frank Knight, himself over a century old (no ring-counting necessary).

Tree/history lovers (this elm was around in 1793!) can bid on their very own pieces of Herbie, and support the Yarmouth Tree Trust in the process, this Saturday. The auction starts at 5 p.m.

(See TIME’s Top 10 Awesome Trees.)