The rare red sandal wood

Architectural model of a side-hall

Qing Dynasty

Length: 124cm

Width: 83cm

Height: 79cm

Modeled after the pattern of the side-hall in an official’s courtyard, this model was made completely by hand and of red sandal wood. It has vividly reproduced the construction style of the official’s residence during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Red sandal wood wardrobe cabinet with suitcases on its top

Qing Dynasty

Lengh: 126.5cm

Width: 48.3cm

Height: 247.5cm

This big cabinet was used by the imperial harem. Made of bulky red sandal wood from the inside out, it has delicate carvings and a scientific design. As a massive article made of red sandal, it enjoys worldwide repute. Its knock-down price at an auction in 2007 was ￥27.5 million.

Red sandal articles have always been favorites of aristocrats from generation to generation, owing to their purple-brown color, silky tactile impression, and solemn elegance. In the collection name-list of many museums, classical furniture made of red sandal wood has always ranked very highly, and this shows that the important status of red sandal wood is irreplaceable.

Now, red sandal wood trees have been named an endangered species internationally. The wood’s diameter class is becoming lower and lower, and its quality worse and worse. As a result, there are hardly any highly-quality wood pieces of red sandals nowadays. Scholars are recommending that red sandals not be logged wildly and made into modern copies of classic furniture, and that people should treasure the sandal trees rather than abusing them for economic interests.