Fine Hardwood Items Archives - Page 4 of 4

Mid Century Scandinavian Bog Oak Box with Silver Inlay

Photo Credit: Copenhagen-Silver

Mid Century Scandinavian Bog Oak Box with Silver Inlay

Buy It Now Price: $313.65 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Sleek, Mid Century Scandinavian style is on full display with this bog oak box from Denmark. The box is skillfully inlaid with three silver swans in flight.

-This bog oak box measures 5.6 inches (14.3 cm) wide by 8.9 inches (22.7 cm) long by 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) tall. It is a good size and would be perfect for storing jewelry, valuables or as a men’s valet case.

-Bog oak is ancient wood that has begun the initial stage of fossilization. It originates from oak (or pine or yew) trees that fell into acidic bogs, marshes or swamps anywhere from 1,000 to 8,000 years ago. The acids in the water gradually leached out some organic matter, replacing it with iron and other minerals. This dramatically darkens the color of the wood.

-Most bog oak comes from Ireland, England or the Baltic region. Its rarity makes it a very expensive wood.

-Bog oak is much harder than normal oak, requiring special tools and a lot of experience to work properly. Only a master woodcrafter can successfully work with bog oak.

-The box is marked “GSA 16/3 69” on the inside of the lid. This confirms that the construction date is 1969. It is also important because it is an indicator of build quality. Master craftsmen often sign their masterpieces like they are works of art. And this bog oak box is definitely a work of art.

-The craftsmanship of this bog oak box is superb. The beautifully inlaid geese provide a wonderful contrast to the surrounding dark oak wood. In addition, it is in good condition, with no apparent damage.

-Considering the box’s good condition and its quintessentially mid-century Scandinavian design, the asking price of $313.65 is fair. Good hardwood boxes are difficult to find, so I feel that this bog oak box would make a good investment.

Cons:

-It is difficult to know with 100% percent certainty that the wood in this box is actually bog oak without a hands on inspection. It is possible that it is regular oak that has been given a dark stain, although I doubt it. Regardless of the wood used, the workmanship of the box is absolutely top notch. While it would be less desirable and, consequently, less valuable if it weren’t bog oak, the box would still be investible.

-The inlaid silver geese on the box are not hallmarked. We are taking it on faith that they are solid silver inlays and not plated. However, given the phenomenal craftsmanship and build quality of the piece, I would be shocked if they were not solid silver.

-The maker, “GSA” is not identified. If we knew who the maker was, the box would be more valuable.

–*UPDATE* This is an embarrassing admission, but I now suspect that this box is actually made from rosewood instead of bog oak. This revelation does not impact the desirability or financial analysis of the item, but it is a reminder that the positive identification and attribution of antiques can be difficult via photos alone.

Antique Japanese Edo Era Wooden Netsuke from the 18th or 19th Century

Photo Credit: matsu-kaze.japan

Antique Japanese Edo Era Wooden Netsuke from the 18th or 19th Century

Buy It Now Price: $360 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an antique Japanese Netsuke carving from the Edo era – the 18th or 19th century period when samurai under the command of the Tokugawa Shogunate still ruled Japan.

-This specimen measures 29 mm (1.14 inches) tall by 51 mm wide (2.01 inches).

-In Edo era Japan, everyone – even samurai – wore kimonos. Netsuke were functional wardrobe accessories used to secure a traveler’s purse to his kimono sash.

-Although anachronistic for their original use, Netsuke are avidly collected today as some of the finest objets d’art ever created. They are truly masterpieces of miniature sculpture.

-This particular netsuke exquisitely depicts a small cluster of mushrooms. Edo era Japanese craftsmen often pursued naturalistic themes when carving netsuke. This netsuke, with its organic lines and meticulous attention to detail, is a superb example.

-Netsuke were hand carved from a variety of interesting materials such as ivory, wood, boar tusk, horn, bone and metal. This particular netsuke is crafted from wood – possibly boxwood, one of the finest carving woods known.

-The even, undisturbed dark patina on the wood is completely consistent with an object that is well over a century old.

-The $360 asking price is very reasonable considering that this netsuke is both well executed and obviously original. It is sold by an experienced Japanese antique dealer and ships straight from Tokyo.

Cons:

-Although not visible in the photo, this netsuke has a small age crack on the back, caused by the wood shrinking with extreme age. This minor defect is not unusual among wooden items more than 100 years old and does not impact pricing significantly.

-While not common, netsuke were sometimes signed by their creators. This netsuke, although very desirable already, would be even more so if it had been signed.