Thread: African Statue wood ID

They look similar to carvings I got in East Africa many years ago. There used to be plenty of it around in the markets, I'm not sure what the current state of affairs is in regard to sustainable harvests. There are different ebonies across Africa. Where I bought mine it was probably Tanzania and a search found this reference "Ebony trees (Diospyrus melanoxylon) are found in the East African states of Mozambique and Tanzania". Around some townships all the scruby trees along the roadside had clearly been pillaged for the wood, exposing the black wood in the cutoff limbs. I think the ebony from Central and West Africa is probably different.

Friend who was brought up in Tanzania when it was Tanganyika says that it is "zebra ebony". Apparently it polishes very well without any finish or polish.

Originally Posted by Fuzzie

"Ebony trees (Diospyrus melanoxylon) are found in the East African states of Mozambique and Tanzania".

Perhaps that quote was misinformed. Further search shows Diospyrus melanoxylon originates from India.

Dalbergia melanoxylon seems to be the East African one.

Further investigation with a fellow I met that imports a lot of African art, they're some species of ebony. I tried to sell them for 40 bucks but no takers so they're now going to be cut up as there's probably about 70 bucks in ebony there that I can repurpose.