Spice Chest Value

J

Jim Orasky

New member
First, let me apologize if this is not in the right forum.  This is my first post.

I was referred to you folks by one of the replies I received from a posting on the WoodCentral Message board.  I have a problem and he thought you may be able to help me.

In Aug 2014 I mailed a Spice chest (that I had made) to Japan as a belated wedding present to my son and his wife. It is a long story, but I started it in 2011 right after their wedding but life intervened and I had to set it aside for a while. But I finally got a chance to finish it and send it to him.

Somewhere between the post office here in Pennsylvania and my son's address, the Spice Chest was damaged. I think I can repair it during an upcoming trip to Japan, but in the meanwhile I have been wrestling with the US Post Office over an insurance claim. They have agreed to pay, but I need to "prove" the value of the chest. I have no idea how to do that. I am a recreational woodworker and do not sell my items. I have no basis to prove the value. To me, the value of the chest far exceeds the material component cost.
 
The chest is cherry with bookmatched slab fiddleback ash for drawer fronts. I have attached a few low resolution pictures. These are all I have.  The spice chest is in Japan.


Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Jim Orasky
 

Attachments

  • 1.jpg
    1.jpg
    16.5 KB · Views: 45
  • 2.jpg
    2.jpg
    24.6 KB · Views: 44
  • 3.jpg
    3.jpg
    36.6 KB · Views: 41
Start with time and materials-- How many hours to make it, the cost of the wood and fishing materials.  If you had to buy any tools for making it (for doing the line and berry inlay, for example) factor these in too.
 
I understand that 190 is the max they will pay. They have already told me they will pay.  My issue is that they will not pay anything until I can prove the value.  How do I do that with something that is handmade, from material I have been saving for years.  Like I said in my original post, I am a recreational woodworker, I do not sell my projects therefore I do not have time logs or do I keep receipts for material.
 
I don't believe you can collect for the value of the piece, only for the damage. You need to get a written estimate for the repair of the damage from a recognized restorer.  That is what you will be able to collect up to the $190.
 
I did a run of spice chests about five years ago, and as I recall, I had about $300 worth of materials in each.
Work up how many board feet and cost per board foot of locally purchased wood you used. Add in catalog pricing for the pulls, hinges, lock etc. and you should easily exceed your $190.
Your time, as an amateur is worth sadly nothing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top