Need some advice

[Helevitia]

I aquired some very rare pieces of furniture recently. 2 end tables and a coffee table made out of Koa. The rare part is the fact that the pieces are made out of koa and they are 20+ years old. Similar items around the web sell for around $5,000-$10,000 for the 3 pieces.

Now, these pieces are not in the best shape. Meaning that they need to be resanded and restained. That isn't the hard part. The hard part is, where do you sell $10,000 furniture? I know ebay and craigslist, but I have this feeling they won't sell for the right price. I need to find people that are in the know, that know how to sell this stuff Any ideas?

BTW, The Koa tree is considered endangered and it is illegal to even take a branch off of a tree, even if it is on your property. As a matter of fact, you can't do anything to the tree unless it falls over dead. Only then can you harvest the wood and sell it. I think it only grows in Hawaii, but I'm not sure. The wood is know for it's beauty and holographic depth. I own a few boxes of koa and the wood is amazing.

[cjolley]

I have a guitar made out of Koa.

We have a table in our garage that has been gathering dust because we don't have an answer to your question.
But I will be interested to hear any answers!

Chuck

[Helevitia]

Nice, A koa wood guitar. Is the neck made out of Koa as well? How does it sound?

[cjolley]

Just the back and front.
The rest is conventional.

An Alvarez model they stopped making a few years ago.
It sounds good, plays well, and was a great deal.

[Dr Mordrid]

Have several nice pieces of antique furniture ourselves, some 100-200 years old or made of old-growth woods you can't get anymore.

First get an appraisal from a dealer who specializes in that type of item then seek out likewise specialist auction houses. They should give you two numbers: as is and after restoration, if possible/advisable.

What ever you do don't do any kind of amature "restoration"....you'll more likely than not decrease its value. If any restoration is to be done let a pro do it. The cost will be worth the increased value at auction.

Dr. Mordrid

[Helevitia]

Thanks for the info Doc. This is what the table looks like. This isn't my picture but the table is almost identical. The end tables match as well.

[Dr Mordrid]

Nice

The walnut dresser (burl trim: drawer front inlays, lamp stand backs, mirror rosettes etc.) in our master bedroom is 130+ years old. It has a 1.25" thick engraved marble top and cut/silvered mirror almost 1/2" thick. We also have a 150 year old lyre top tiger oak dresser w/silvered mirror and a 100+ year old buffet w/cut glass lamp mirror and elaborately hand carved drawer fronts in the dining room. Other smaller pieces include a 1780-ish tea table, an 8 place set of pewter dinnerware etc.

Dr. Mordrid