One-of-a-kind collectible design object made of solid kauri wood and a sculptural collector's item made of old burl wood with amber, serving as a table; functional art for executive offices and collections

Collectible Design Objects Made from Ancient Kauri

Sculptural collectibles made of millennia-old wood with amber embedded in it

Michael Beaupoil creates just a few documented works each year using subfossil Ancient Kauri from New Zealand. His starting point is monumental, solid root slabs carved from a single piece, featuring visible bark, embedded amber, exposed root sections, and documented provenance.

Monumental Swamp Kauri Tree in New Zealand for collectible design objects and functional art, crafted from a single piece of old root wood with documented provenance

Beaupoil in her studio, crafting collectible design objects, a sculptural table, and functional art from a single piece of old burl wood

Michael Beaupoil in his studio in Germany, working on a large root-based base for a collectible design object, a sculptural table, and functional art for private collections and executive spaces

One-of-a-kind collectible design piece crafted from a single large, old burl slab as a sculptural dining table with documented provenance, for an exclusive executive office

One-of-a-kind collectible design piece crafted from a single large, solid root slab, serving as a sculptural dining table and functional artwork in an exclusive executive suite

Earth's History Preserved in Functional Art

Spaces with sculptural design objects

These pieces can serve as tables, visual room dividers, or wall sculptures with the presence of a work of art.

They serve as sculptural interior pieces and room objects in upscale living spaces, private collections, and executive offices.

Somewhere between functional art, collectible design, and sculptural design objects, unique geological pieces emerge with a distinct spatial presence.

Large, one-of-a-kind room sculpture and art object made of solid burl wood, serving as functional art, a collectible design piece, and a sculptural design object with a distinct spatial presence

Material

Monumental root slabs made of ancient kauri

New Zealand's giant kauri trees have developed exceptionally large root systems with interconnected wood formations. This results in monumental, single-piece kauri root slabs with dimensions that are virtually impossible to achieve with other types of wood.

The subfossil root slabs feature visible areas of amber, natural outer edges, naturally formed openings, dark resin zones, and solid root structures extending over several meters. Since this is a finite, dead material resource, no new formations of this kind are being created. This rare material defines the impact of Collectible furniture in a room.

Subfossil root plate carved from a single piece of rare solid kauri wood, featuring amber, bark, and resin, as an art object, functional art, collectible design, and sculptural design object

Tree resin turned into golden amber

Amber Embedded in Rootwood

While the kauri trees were still alive, liquid tree resin oozed out and seeped into the root areas of the wood. There, the resin hardened over millennia and turned into golden-colored amber, which is now visibly encased within Ancient Kauri. Genuine, ingrown amber, dark resin zones, and subfossil Kauri rootwood combine to create surfaces with extraordinary spatial depth and a geological material effect.

Tree resin, resembling golden, ingrown amber, set in subfossil kauri rootwood, transformed into a sculptural dining table and an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind collectible design piece of furniture

Large, solid root tabletop for sculptural tables and exclusive collectible design furniture as functional art

Genuine amber and bark in the solid ancient kauri burl wood of a tabletop from a sculptural table and exclusive collectible design furniture

Genuine amber, bark, and resin in the solid wood of a handmade, extraordinary dining table and collectible design furniture as functional art at Atelier Beaupoil

Origin

Subfossil Ancient Kauri from the Swamps of New Zealand

The ancient kauri wood used, which comes from trees up to 50 meters tall, lay hidden in New Zealand’s swampy soils for millennia, where it was preserved. Today, these monumental root and trunk sections are painstakingly excavated and recovered.

Origin, size, the nature of the material, and historical depth serve as background knowledge for Beaupoil and lend his works their authenticity. They are an essential part of—and integral to—the identity of each individual work. No living trees are cut down for Michael Beaupoil’s works.

Origin of a large, preserved ancient kauri tree in New Zealand, featuring Beaupoil for authentic works of art and collectible designer furniture and tables

Documented Origin and Provenance

Radiocarbon dating, which indicates that the solid wood is between 2,900 and 47,000 years old, combined with documented records of its origin, makes it possible to trace the provenance and historical depth of each individual kauri object.

The origin, material composition, and natural structure remain visible features of every collector's item. Beaupoil personally selects the ancient kauri slabs in New Zealand together with a long-standing local partner.

The unique characteristics of the Ancient Kauri highlight its extraordinary origins.

Age certificate for a Kauri Collectible Design art object, including radiocarbon dating and documented origin and provenance of a unique table

Studio

Collectibles from a single source

Every piece—whether a dining table, conference table, or sculpture—is crafted entirely by hand in the workshop of master cabinetmaker Michael Beaupoil.

In 2010, he began specializing in kauri wood: selecting ancient kauri slabs, developing the form, exposing the amber-colored areas, and finishing the pieces—all done by a single artisan. His approach is focused and characterized by a keen attention to the material.

As a result, only a few clearly identifiable handmade collectibles are produced each year, each with a documented provenance, a unique serial number, and a distinctive material character.

Master carpenter Michael Beaupoil in his studio in Germany, handcrafting a one-of-a-kind Collectible Design dining table, conference table, or sculpture

Selected Works

Available Collectibles and Works Archive

The works on display offer a glimpse into contemporary collector's items with a history dating back thousands of years, featuring embedded amber and extraordinary root structures.

The work archive documents the diversity of earlier works and illustrates how each configuration can evolve into a distinct piece—ranging from functional art to collectible design to sculptural tables.

A one-of-a-kind, monumental table crafted from a single piece of 3,700-year-old burl wood—somewhere between functional art, extraordinary collectible design furniture, and a sculptural art object

Available piece: Unikat 180—a monumental table measuring 280 x 210 cm, carved from a single piece of 3,700-year-old burl wood

A rare, one-of-a-kind table carved from a single piece of old burl wood—a work of functional art, an extraordinary collectible design piece, and a sculptural art object with documented provenance

Workshop Archive: Unique Piece 191—sculptural table, 280 x 100 cm, made from 3,700-year-old burl wood

Contact

Available Works and Private Inquiries

In addition to independent works, we create selected sculptural collector’s items, kauri tables, and large-scale individual pieces upon request. The starting point is always a specific ancient kauri slab with its own unique grain, material composition, and documented provenance.

Interested parties can obtain information about available works, dimensions, origin, provenance, international shipping, and private inquiries directly from the studio.

The works are crafted from rare materials, produced in small numbers, and designed to last for generations. As a result, they can become a lasting part of a room, a home, or even a personal collection.

A one-of-a-kind Beaupoil piece, a sculptural collector's item and unique dining table, classified as collectible design furniture with documented provenance