Thread: Anyone know any aussie timbers like this?

Hi Fudo,

Some Jarrah will come close to that, but you need to pick the pieces you want. Since you are in Melbourne and I assume willing to travel for the right timber, here are two options.
1. Mathews Timber
Rooks Road Vermont. They have 250 x 50 boards as well as 200 x 25 boards in varying colours. (They also have large boards of Purple Heart, but the minimum length you can buy is 3 metres at about $9K a cube

2. Danahers Timber and Hardware
Lower Heidelberg Road, Heidelberg They have very deep red Jarrah boards, almost black and again in large sizes.

Both yards sell the stock pretty well dressed.

I'm sure you'll find what you want at either of these yards.

Regards,

Rob

Maybe turpentine, bloodwood or even darker red ironbark would come close.

Originally Posted by fudo133

Hey folks,
At the risk of sounding a tad repetitive with my hunt for dark red and purple timbers i thought it'd be worth asking on here whether anyone knows of any Australian timbers (preferably ones that are available in sizes bigger than pen blanks) that could give this sort of colour.

In this case the timber in the chest is highly endangered and either dalbergia maritima, dalbergia louvelii, or possibly pterocarpus santalinus

0529-2.jpg

I have some Hakea on my place that will,I think come close to what you`re after,it has similar grain to Sheoak but wit a rich dark red clouor . Give me a day or two and I`ll post some pics , the wood is dry and ready to use .
Cheers David

How much do you need, and in what sizes exactly? There are a few members with access to some decent chunks of Dead Finish, comes at a price though.

Just for my own interest... is that chest holding a Mah Jong set ?

Originally Posted by dabbler

Just for my own interest... is that chest holding a Mah Jong set ?

Afraid i've no idea, the auction description was simply that it was an early 19th century stationery chest...which sold for $46,000 ...so just a tad out of my range haha

Wow. 46k is beyond most of us. My mum has a 1920's ivory and bamboo set contained in a similar looking chest though it has a carved handle and face. Hence the question.

Originally Posted by dabbler

Wow. 46k is beyond most of us. My mum has a 1920's ivory and bamboo set contained in a similar looking chest though it has a carved handle and face. Hence the question.

In this case most of its value probably comes down to it being in a specialist auction with a particularly wealthy audience, as well as being made from a somewhat figured example of what was historically the most highly valued of Chinese woods, zitan (which could be anyone of a massive handful of different species depending on when and exactly where it was made).

A good starting point might be to get some good pictures of your mum's piece and post them on asian art forums asking if anyone knows what the wood is, if its a dark red colour it could possibly be zitan or hongmu, or it could also be a lighter wood that was stained, whichever it is, the value could go up or down by a reasonable way.
Here's the link to the site http://www.asianart.com/phpforum/index.php

All that said however, even if the wood in the chest is a bit lighter or a more orangeish padauk kind of colour, it doesnt necessarily discount it as being zitan, as one of the main confirmed woods by that title is pterocarpus santalinus, a close relative to padauk that starts out a reddish orange colour before turning a much darker more purple or black colour over time.

Hope this helps

Damien

Originally Posted by fudo133

Hey folks,
At the risk of sounding a tad repetitive with my hunt for dark red and purple timbers i thought it'd be worth asking on here whether anyone knows of any Australian timbers (preferably ones that are available in sizes bigger than pen blanks) that could give this sort of colour.

In this case the timber in the chest is highly endangered and either dalbergia maritima, dalbergia louvelii, or possibly pterocarpus santalinus

0529-2.jpg

G`day Fudo,
Had a small piece stashed away in the shed ,size would not be a prob as long as it fits in a box for postage ,400mmm length.
here are some pics ,you decide whether that is close enough.

Thanks for the info and link Damien. I'm (and my mum last time we spoke a about it) not particularly interesting in selling or a valuation (partly because they are extremely variable). The piece has been valued some time ago (can't recall what $'s). Either way, it's a family heirloom and while one of us has the space to keep and display it, it will stay in the family.

Originally Posted by dusteater

G`day Fudo,
Had a small piece stashed away in the shed ,size would not be a prob as long as it fits in a box for postage ,400mmm length.
here are some pics ,you decide whether that is close enough.

Hey there,

Sorry for the hugely late reply, i meant to post sooner but just kept on forgetting to do it after work and school.

I think for this particular project its not quite close enough in terms of matching the slight purplish red of the wood in the original box, though i'm still quite interested in it nonetheless...though i might have to get back to you in a month or so once i've got a bit more cash to splash as my budget's pretty much non existent at the moment.

May i ask roughly how dry it is and how much you'd like for it?

Damien