[Klint]

Hi People,

I'm located in the British Isles, don't think there are any other British based members on the messageboard (?).

I have this carving that was imported by my father into the UK from Thailand some years ago with no expenses spared. Back then it cost in the region of £4,000 after taxes, shipping, insurance and purchasing the carving itself.

I'm curious if anyone has anymore information on this rare piece. I placed it on ebay for curiosity sometime ago in the hope I'd recieve e-mails with more information on this unique carving. I Even went as far as contacting Christies auctioneers with the hope they'd have more information on it, but this didn't reap any results and I was turned away, a couple years later I find myself researching this fine piece yet again, which brings me to this place.

Any info. on this carving is kindly appreciated, anything from the carver, the production methods, estimated value, time taken (father says approximately 6months) and even a guess on the type of wood used will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Klint

[woodcarver55555]

Looks like alot like several I saw when I was there in the late 80's. I was in US Marine Corps and items were cheap to buy compaired to prices in the states. The problem was getting it home undamaged, or pay big bucks or in your case big pounds ot ship it.Saw alot of this kind of work in the Phillipines also. In the Phillpines they used local grown mahogny for just about every thing carved I saw. In fact they used it to make shipping boxes,storage bulidings, and well anywhere bamboo didn't work. Many things in Thailand looked like some type of very light colored mahogny to me.I will print out a couple of your pics and show them to friend Bill, he is a wood id expert. He has bought and sold lumber from around the world for over 40 some years I guess. He can ID most US woods with a hand glass by looking at the side, but can tell more by looking at a new, clean crosscut view. I get a lot of what they call waste or scrapes, they can't use that I can ,CHEAP. And its from all over the world. Bill would have a good idea what commonly usedto carve in that area of the world. May have an answer in a few days.
Duncan

[Klint]

Duncan,

Thanks for the information.

Will look forward to hearing from you in a due course.

Kind Regards,
Klint

[wade clark]

Klint,
Beautiful carving! It sounds like you know quite a bit about it. There have been and are entire villages and areas of Thailand, the Philipines and Indonesia where generations have made their living carving. Great artists! Short of taking a long extended trip to those areas, there's very little chance of finding who the carver was. I wish you luck in that persuit!
As for value, that was a huge price back then! If I'm not mistaken, the Pound was worth 3 or more U.S. Dollars then, so you're talking $12,000 U.S. Dollars. I'm an Auctioneer. I receive 40 ft. containers of furniture and other merchandise from overseas fairly often, maybe 30 in the last 2 years. I also sell lots of estates and business liquidations. It all sells to the highest bidder. My point is, I see true value of merchandise based on what people are willing to pay for it. Beyond sentimental value, that is what any item is worth: what someone is willing to pay for it.
It's a beautiful carving! I have a small collection of elephants and other carvings from that part of the world and love them! You don't mention the measurements, but it looks very large. Did Christies provide any insight? I believe an item has to value $10,000 or more to get their attention.
What kind of bidding action did you get on ebay? You could list it with a small opening bid, with the reserve set at whatever price you could live with; that would give you an accurate opinion of value based on where the bidding stopped. You could also take it to an appraiser, but that is just an opinion of value too. To my knowledge there are few if any true experts on the value of wood carvings. Art is a very subjective thing and is worth, as I said, whatever you can get out of it.
What are you hoping to get out of the piece?
Good luck!
Wade

[Mryooper]

Wade,

I should have you take a look at that ww2 german watch fob I have. I was told it is one of a kind. Tunic design and made out of leather strape and 99.9 silver tips and chain. Was made by a silver smith in Norway in 1940 for a LT in the radio corp part of the luftwaffe.

Pat

[wade clark]

Pat,
It's always nice to have a collectible that "crosses over" categories, like your fob.
A. It's WW2 especially WW2 Germany, Militariana
B. It's a "timepiece" collectible
C. It's silver
There are 3 different groups of collectors who would love to own it!
If you contact the National Auctioneers Assn., you can probably find Auctioneers who specialize in each of the 3 categories. I used to have a catalog of an Auction done twice a year, strictly of Militariana. They had a pen that they claimed to have documentation to prove it had been used by Hitler to write Mein Kompf. I hope the ink was dry!
I think you have a good collectible, but have no idea on value.
Good luck with it!
Wade

[Mryooper]

Thanks Wade! I tried contacting a norwiegen museum, but it must be a bad topic for them. I can understand the reason behind it. THey never did respond to my e-mails. I was told $350.00, but was also told it could even more. I guess it is just how bad person wants it. I sold a 1943 model 98 8mm mauser for $90 now you cant touch it for that.

Pat

[Klint]

Wade,

Christies used the excuse that there is no recorded history of the item, such as celebrity ownership etc. to justify not putting a valuation on it, either that or they thought it was a scam like many of the local 'specialist' antique and art dealers and valuers.

The carving is too cumbersome to move around to each different shops so I had to supply pictures and dimensions, I don't think these were enough to arouse enough interest.

I've pondered about asking the auctioneers Bonohams about the carving, do they specialise in these type of items?

The estimated dimensions as such are: 40x10x2inches

I'd like to get a reasonable price on it, not one where I'm ripped off nor a price where the buyer is ripped off. Give me a price (in sterling pounds £) and I'll give you an answer.

Thanks again,
Klint

[woodcarver55555]

Klint, Caught up with my wood know-it-all friend, Bill yesterday. Have not gotten a chance to post this befor now, on my lunch at work. Bill said,this is his best guess of what it could, using the info he had to work with. He said he has seen carvings come out of Thailand in only about 10 differant woods that are native to the area. Going with only native wood types, and the color of the carving and the grain pattern he saw in the pictures I printed out it is most likly Teak. He said it the back was not sealed, it may feel a little oily. He said you might carry the panel to an area boat builder, and he may be able to ID the wood. Bill said if there is an area on the back where you could take a shaving sample from it could be IDed from that, and not transport the whole thing. He said he feels strongly it is Teak from Thailand, because of the color. But it is not a positive answer, without eye balling a sample. I would try to find a wooden boat building yard, and see what thay say.
Bill has been to Thailand, Japan, and many other countries in that part of the world. He said Teak is commomly used to carve large panels used in temples and shrines. Well, hope this helps and keep us informed. Duncan

[Klint]

Duncan,

That's brilliant!

Very kind of you to go to the efforts in finding out what type of wood it is.

I'll just give that a try, I'll get a sample of the wood and look around.

Thanks again,
Klint