Timber auction offers old growth WA species

Whilst Boranup Gallery in Margaret River, WA remains very much open, James Howieson is reluctantly closing the door on 35 years of fine furniture making. “This is great for budding wood enthusiasts and industry players", James said, "as the extensive inventory of furniture grade specialty timbers is now for sale”. “The wood was purchased through the Forestry Products Commission log contract, one of three awarded to members of the Fine Woodworking Association of WA back in 2005. This contract meant by state law that the oldest and best logs earmarked for milling by the FPC had to be offered to the owners of those contracts first.”

A rare opportunity now exists to purchase truly old growth timber from the largest jarrah, blackbutt and marri logs offered in the last two decades. “Nowadays the logs offered for sale by the FPC are less than a quarter the size of those purchased back in the day”, said James. “This auction includes 60mm, 18 year old slabs of jarrah and marri up to 1.7m wide, and some of the nicest blackbutt boards and slabs that have ever come out of the south-west.”

James’ success with Boranup Gallery and its association with fine furniture for 35 years was brought about by his love of beautiful West Australian specialty timbers. It’s where his journey began and this appreciation was expressed in the meticulous care he gave to his timber. Immaculately cared for and stripped out in individual tree lots, the auction includes huge old growth slabs carefully air dried for years prior to being finished off in a dehumidifier kiln.

James’ love for burl wood and his creative use of it has also resulted in the vast collection of burl wood now offered for sale. Using 10mm feature panels in his clocks and sideboards meant that many of his larger prime burls weren’t slabbed in the traditional 50mm way but horiizontally bandsawed at 12mm and carefully dried in burl bundle lots.

For more information and to visit the online auction head to Auction Boranup at auctionboranuptimber.com