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Hey guys, this isn’t something I usually struggle with but I’m a bit stumped as to the value of some material I plan to sell. I have several large pieces of lumber from the legendary quilted mahogany tree just known as “the tree”. If you haven’t heard of it just do a google search for “the tree mahogany” I’m trying to thin out some of the stuff I’m not going to use and have two 3”x3”x48” pieces of quilted mahogany from The Tree. The problem is no one ever sells it so I have no clue what the actual value of it is. Has anyone seen any of this sold recently or have an idea about what the market value of it is. These pictures do not do this stuff justice but here is a bad photo of one of the billets.
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01-09-2018, 07:21 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-09-2018, 07:25 PM by jteneyck.)
You might be able to take a vacation on that piece of wood, Dave. Have you seen this: Link And another link where the author said it was worth $1000/BF in 2011, with the price expected to double in two years. Another Link
JOhn
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There was a guy on SMC that sold a fair amount and I think he was asking $100 bd ft, but that was several years ago.
The Tree - Table Here's a project made from the stuff
Personally I wouldn't pay that much for the stuff as the value is mostly in the provenance, IMO. It's certainly cool, but you can get quilted bubinga or sapele for a fraction and it looks just as awesome.
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I’ve heard some crazy stories about the stuff bringing stupid money. If I had a perfect set for a guitar I could probably get a ton of money for it. All the wider material I have I’m going to keep. Who knows in 10 years maybe I will put my kids through college with it. I honestly figured the stuff I have is worth $150 per board give or take but once again I really have nothing to compare it to since most of what I’ve seen has been processed into material for guitars which brings a huge premium.this material would only be good for a neck or turning.
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John,
I just looked at the link to the guitar blanks and the wider stock I have blower that stuff away. That is actually some of the plumb pudding figure that came from the tree. Supposedly Three distinctive figures came from the tree but the quilted is the most sought after from my understanding.
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(01-09-2018, 08:24 PM)Dave Diaman Wrote: John,
I just looked at the link to the guitar blanks and the wider stock I have blower that stuff away. That is actually some of the plumb pudding figure that came from the tree. Supposedly Three distinctive figures came from the tree but the quilted is the most sought after from my understanding.
Yep. The plum pudding figure isn't impressive to me.
My granddad gave me most of his collection of fine woodworking from issue 1 and on about 20 years ago. The collection included the Sep/Oct 1985 issue that included the Nolan tree and the subsequent dresser a couple of the writers made from it. I think that issue had an article on segmented turning, which was much more interesting for me and sent me down that path ever since.
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(01-09-2018, 08:24 PM)Dave Diaman Wrote: John,
I just looked at the link to the guitar blanks and the wider stock I have blower that stuff away. That is actually some of the plumb pudding figure that came from the tree. Supposedly Three distinctive figures came from the tree but the quilted is the most sought after from my understanding.
Dave, if you choose to use that wide stuff for a piece of furniture someday you're going to have to charge an astronomical amount just to cover what you could have gotten for it from a guitar maker. I guess if you use it as veneer on the panels you could lower the impact to the only outrageous level, but it's still going to add up fast. Happy problem, to be sure, if you have customers discerning and well heeled enough to afford it; and I'm sure you do. If you do choose to use it rather than sell it - I'll really look forward to seeing pictures or, better yet, seeing it in person before you deliver it. It would be worth the drive.
John
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(01-09-2018, 09:25 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Dave, if you choose to use that wide stuff for a piece of furniture someday you're going to have to charge an astronomical amount just to cover what you could have gotten for it from a guitar maker. I guess if you use it as veneer on the panels you could lower the impact to the only outrageous level, but it's still going to add up fast. Happy problem, to be sure, if you have customers discerning and well heeled enough to afford it; and I'm sure you do. If you do choose to use it rather than sell it - I'll really look forward to seeing pictures or, better yet, seeing it in person before you deliver it. It would be worth the drive.
John
John, That's the main reason I have never used any of it on a piece of furniture. It is just too valuable to use. I will probably just sell it eventually. I think I will probably just list these 12/4 pieces down in the S&S for $150 each. If no one thinks they are worth that I will just hold onto them for another day.
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01-10-2018, 04:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-10-2018, 04:04 PM by OldGuyDrummer.)
(01-10-2018, 02:51 PM)Dave Diaman Wrote: John, That's the main reason I have never used any of it on a piece of furniture. It is just too valuable to use. I will probably just sell it eventually. I think I will probably just list these 12/4 pieces down in the S&S for $150 each. If no one thinks they are worth that I will just hold onto them for another day.
Dave,
The price someone will pay for true mahogany and then figured mahogany is one thing.
In order to pay a premium for wood from "The Tree", there would need to be some documentation that it is in fact a piece of wood from "The Tree."
So I would think to get the crazy $/BF listed for "TT" wood would need some form of documentation that shows it really did come from the "TT."
It is not that anyone here would not believe you, we do, but if someone buys it now and 20 years down the road tries to sale it and claims it came from TT without real proof may leave them holding a really beautiful piece of wood they cannot sale at a premium.
Do you have a paper trail that can go with the wood?
Rob
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Rob, I do infact have the paperwork from the original purchase of the Lumber but personally I think it’s not that definitive. In the end it just comes down to the fact that the wood is so unusual and the chances of finding other material that looks the same and has the same density is pretty unlikely. Plum pudding mahogany is more common but still unusual. The quilted material however is extremely rare.
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