Coromandel Ebony

Coromandel Ebony

Taxobox
name = Coromandel Ebony
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ericales
familia = Ebenaceae
genus = "Diospyros"
binomial_authority = Hassk.

Coromandel Ebony ("Diospyros celebica"), also known as "Makassar Ebony", is a member of the genus "Diospyros" and one of the plants commonly known as ebony.

Coromandel ebony wood is variegated, streaky brown and black, nearly always wide striped. It is considered a highly valuable wood for turnery, fine cabinet work and joinery, and is much sought for posts (tokobashira) in traditional Japanese houses. That is why Japan used to be the main importer for this wood.

The tree grows up to 20 meters hight under favourable circumstances, although such trees are rarely seen nowadays. Since Coromandel ebony has been a woodworkers favourite for centuries, most of it has been felled and used in high quality furniture. The wood is often defective, showing cracks, and in particular heart shakes and splits. It is not easy to dry and is best given ample time for this. Converting logs into boards as soon as possible is recommended.The natural area of distribution are some Indonesian islands, the island Celebes, now called Sulawesi and its main exporting seaport Makassar gave name to this famous species.

As this exceptionally beautiful species of the Ebonies has been much appreciated by woodworkers all over the world through the past 2 centuries it has now become a very scarce and expensive timber. The small available amounts on the market have led to very high prices, Makassar ebony nowadays belongs to the highest priced timbers on the world, the region of growth is quite restricted.


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  • coromandel ebony — | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun also coromandel ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ Usage: usually capitalized C : an East Indian tree (Diospyros melanoxylon) with a hard dark colored wood …   Useful english dictionary

  • Ebony (disambiguation) — Ebony can refer to: * Originally, the tree species Ebony ( Diospyros ebenum ) and the black wood derived from it. * In botany, the name is also applied to a number of other related species in the genus Diospyros , particularly those which also… …   Wikipedia

  • coromandel — [ˌkɒrə mand(ə)l] noun 1》 (also coromandel wood or coromandel ebony) a fine grained, greyish brown ebony streaked with black, used in furniture; calamander. 2》 the Sri Lankan tree that yields coromandel. [Diospyros quaesita.] adjective denoting a… …   English new terms dictionary

  • coromandel — /kawr euh man dl, kor /, n. 1. the hard, brownish wood of a tropical Asian tree, Diospyros melanoxylon. 2. the tree itself. Also called coromandel ebony. [1835 45; after the COROMANDEL COAST; cf. CALIMANDER] * * * …   Universalium

  • Coromandel screen — ▪ Chinese art       ebony folding screen with panels of incised black lacquer, often painted gold or other colours and frequently decorated by the application of jade and other semiprecious stones, shell, or porcelain. These screens, having as… …   Universalium

  • Coromandel wood — Calamander wood Cal a*man der wood (k[a^]l [.a]*m[a^]n d[ e]r w[oo^]d ). A valuable furniture wood from India and Ceylon, of a hazel brown color, with black stripes, very hard in texture. It is a species of ebony, and is obtained from the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Diospyros melanoxylon — Coromandel Ebony Bark of the Coromandel Ebony. Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • Diospyros — chloroxylon Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • DIOSPYROS MELANOXYLON ROXB. - КОРОМАНДЕЛЬСКОЕ ЧЕРНОЕ ДЕРЕВО — см. 757. Дерево. D. melanoxylon Roxb. Коромандельское черное дерево Pl. Coromandel I (1795) Т. 46. Burkill (1935) 832. Wealth of India 3 (1952) 81, f. S у n. D. wightiana Wall.; D. dubia Wall. М е с т н. н а з в. Англ. Coromandel ebony; хинди… …   Справочник растений

  • calamander — [ kaləmandə] noun another term for coromandel. Origin C19: from Sinhalese kaḻu madīriya, perh. from Coromandel ebony (see coromandel), changed by assoc. with Sinhalese kaḻu black …   English new terms dictionary

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