Is Kauri gum valuable?
Between 1850 and 1950 over 450,000 tons of Kauri Gum, worth 25 million pounds had been exported to manufacturer varnish. The most prized was “white” gum and the clearer the better. The yellow grades were next valuable, followed by the brown and “chalk” was the least valuable of all.
How much does kauri gum sell for?
A Large Natural Kauri Gum Nugget – Price Estimate: $3500 – $5000.
Why is kauri gum valuable?
Kauri gum is a resin (a sticky substance) produced by New Zealand’s giant kauri trees. The resin helps protect the tree by filling in holes and damaged areas. Kauri trees can live for more than 1,000 years, so they make a lot of gum over a lifetime.
How do you dissolve kauri gum?
The solid substance is but slightly soluble in hot alcohol or hot ether, the liquid gives a yellow flocculent precipitate when thrown into water. 2. Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolves the gum, forming a clear red liquid, from which a white semi-solid substance precipitates on the addition of water.
What is kauri gum used for today?
Kauri gum was also crafted into jewellery, keepsakes, and small decorative items. Like amber, kauri gum sometimes includes insects and plant material. Kauri gum was used commercially in varnish, and can be considered a type of copal (the name given to resin used in such a way).
Can you melt kauri gum?
However, in general, young gum that is not fossilised is known as Kauri Gum. It is readily melted and is not able to be polished to a high shine.
Can you melt down kauri gum?
Is kauri gum flammable?
Highly flammable, the gum was also used as a fire-starter, or bound in flax to act as a torch. Burnt and mixed with animal fat, it made a dark pigment for moko tattooing. Kauri gum was also crafted into jewellery, keepsakes, and small decorative items.
Is kauri a pine?
Kauri pine, also called Dammar Pine, (Agathis australis), a resinous timber conifer of the family Araucariaceae, native to the North Island of New Zealand. The tree sometimes reaches 45 metres (150 feet) in height, with a diameter up to 7 m (23 ft).
How can you tell kauri gum?
Kauri Gum comes in many shades and colours, from almost completely clear up to almost black. Dark Red and Green pieces are occasionally located. Kauri gum will eventually harden to a point where it is fully fossilised and is more accurately described as Amber.
Who dug for the gum?
Men, women and children. Most gum diggers were male, but in some places the women and children – especially Māori – also dug for gum. Many diggers were single men, who lived two or three to a hut. Others lived on the gumfields with their wives and families.
What can you use kauri gum for?
How did kauri gum get to the UK?
Kauri gum was retrieved by “gum diggers” back over a hundred years ago and was shipped by sailing ships to England (Appely Bridge, Wigan) and other parts of the world and processed in to a varnish or polish. The trees were also “bleed” for the gum as it became more valuable.
Where does the kauri tree get its resin from?
Resin is from the Kauri Tree. It is stored within the tree to heal any damaged parts. Kauri gum was retrieved by “gum diggers” back over a hundred years ago and was shipped by sailing ships to England (Appely Bridge, Wigan) and other parts of the world and processed in to a varnish or polish.
What kind of gum is used in New Zealand?
Kauri Gum Natural Pieces. Kauri Gum is the resin of New Zealand’s beautiful Kauri tree. It is formed when resin oozes from cracks in the bark of the tree and hardens on exposure to air. The colour can range from pale yellow to reddish-brown and black. These days Kauri Gum is used mainly as jewellery, ornaments and incense.
How big is a good kauri gum Boulder?
These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.. A good large kauri gum boulder, in natural form with semi polish showing good clarity. 4.5kg. A large kauri gum boulder, in natural formation but clean. 4.5kg.