Got Teak?

So the wife and son and I were walking around ying ge yesterday, there is a new section of the Old Street with new shops and eateries, when we went into a shop that smelled reeeal good. I thought it was camphor wood, which is found in Taiwan. We have a chest made of camphor and I love the smell it gives off.

So we were looking around at some very interesting cabinets, shaped like a standup bass, a bottle, fish, half fish, all about 4 feet high. They were quite nice.

Then we went into the back room and saw a fantastic table, not of the pollished wood cabinets, but thick heavy, last for 500 years kind of wood. I asked the guy if it was camphor, not that I’d ever seen anything so big made from camphor, but it smelled nice too.

He said, in English, “No, it’s dick.”

I said, Beg pardon?"

“Dick.”

I said, “Teak?”

He said, “That’s what I said.”

So, the teak is from Indonesia, and a 150cm table made of solid teak will cost about 40,000NT.

Now I’m not expert on teak, so I don’t it that’s a good deal. I do know that teak is banned for sale in the US though. Not here I gather.

It’s a sweet looking table though.

edit: Doing some checking, maybe teak isn’t banned in the US after all. hmm

I think Burmese teak is banned in the US, due to the military dictatorship in Burma (Myanmar), but Indonesian teak is ok. Most Indonesian teak comes from young plantations, but some of it is from illegal logging - if you can find out what part of Indonesia it’s from that’d be helpful. If it’s from Java it’s probably plantation teak, if it’s Sumatra it’s probably illegally logged teak.

BUY IT if you can…repeat…if you can…BUY IT

and no, teak is not banned in the US of A.
But it is very very very expensive when you get the real quality thing.
And yes…you’re talking 500 years if maintained right.

cf, Yeah, some googling and I found that Burmese teak is a no-go.

I can ask the guy where it’s from.

So TC you think 40k for a 150cm (length) table that seats 6 is reasonable?

With chairs? Even a decent oak table will cost that much in Canada.

JDS -
Its a good deal at that price. Here is what I’d do.
Show sincere interest, ask where the wood came from, etc.
Offer NT30K in cash right on the spot. He’ll follow the appropriate action and be offended, refuse, etc.
OK…talk some more, express sorrow, “I really would like to have this for my children to have, etc…”
Walk away…slowly.
Maybe he’ll make a counter-offer.
Come up to NT35K if he’ll deliver it. I know, delvery is usually a separate thing here - doesn’t hurt to ask, shows you really want the table.
Nothing ventured…eh?
If all else fails…bring in the tai-tai as your hammer.

If this does no good - NT40k is still a good deal on this.

NT40k = US$1215.25
NT30k = US$912.00
NT35k = US$1,034.00

This table, w/out chairs as I think that what you’re looking at, is probably in the US$3,000 - 4,000 range.
Thats without my seeing it - just an ‘educated’ guess.

Look underneath it, check how its fitted together.
What about chairs…maybe thats another bargaining chip?

[quote=“jdsmith”]cf, Yeah, some googling and I found that Burmese teak is a no-go.

I can ask the guy where it’s from.

So TC you think 40k for a 150cm (length) table that seats 6 is reasonable?[/quote]

I have some Indonesian teak furniture I picked up in Thailand if you want something to compare to…

It sounds like a pretty good deal, but you do need to find out if it’s the real thing. I’d also have a very good look underneath and check the construction quality.

150cm is pretty small for a table that seats six though…This for the dining room?

[quote=“MJB”][quote=“jdsmith”]cf, Yeah, some googling and I found that Burmese teak is a no-go.

I can ask the guy where it’s from.

So TC you think 40k for a 150cm (length) table that seats 6 is reasonable?[/quote]

I have some Indonesian teak furniture I picked up in Thailand if you want something to compare to…

It sounds like a pretty good deal, but you do need to find out if it’s the real thing. I’d also have a very good look underneath and check the construction quality.

150cm is pretty small for a table that seats six though…This for the dining room?[/quote]

I didn’t ask about chairs. :homer:

The guy had a larger one in the shop, maybe 180 -200cm. He’d have to have one built for us. It would seat four on the sides, and six if we squeezed them on the ends. The joints looked fitted. But it could’ve had small nails in it. If we get it, I’m thinking that fitted joints would be better.

MJB, this is great excuse to get you and the fam down my way for food, a nice hike up the Ying Ge hills and the basketball arcade (for your wife). :wink:

The shop has some really nice stuff in it, pollished teak and the rougher stuff, and some very professional looking wood bending.

Sounds like a fair deal. A fair chunk of change to lay out now, but amortized over the lifespan of the table–and it could definitely become an heirloom–it ain’t much. Here’s a discount teak furniture website to compare.

It’s such beautiful wood, and smells so nice. While I was in Hokkaido, there was an onsen favoured by the local monks. It had a massive teak soaking tub, just because they liked the fragrance. Nice!

I’m looking for wedding gifts for my sis. I’ll have to get directions and check this place out. (Not going to ship a teak table all the way to England though, that’s for damn sure.)