Above, two boards of basswood in the rough. Below, a planed board, showing the very subtle pattern. For carved frames that are going to be finished, basswood is my preferred wood, as it mills readily and carves with and across the grain easily. It does not dull tools, and only occasionally is the wood "difficult".
The Wikipedia article.
I've carved from walnut, oak, mahogany, maple, ash, hickory, butternut, and they all have worthy attributes, but for finished picture frames, basswood is supreme. It can also be clear finished, having a subtle but distinctive look. Much of the work of the celebrated English/Dutch carver,
Grinling Gibbons is carved from basswood, or lime, as it is known in England.
The wood is useful as a secondary cabinet wood; its flowers produce a high grade honey; basswood is considered to have medicinal qualities, and the name "bass" is derived from "bast", a product of the inner bark, which native Americans used to make rope.
It is a large tree, growing wild and as a cultivated street tree.
Addenda: A large basswood in the tree lawn a block over from my home.
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