CLOSED Hawaiian Rare “Lama” Ebony Blanks- 2 Sets Available (Set contains 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper)

[Arn213]

I have a small collection of impossible to find old Hawaiian “lama” ebony (diospyros sandwicensis) which is the same genus as ebony and persimmons; endemic to Hawaii. The sapwood which is the “lama” represents “enlightenment”- the sacred part of the tree in the Hawaiian culture and used for religious purposes: altars, religious objects. This wood was also used for fence post, support brackets and other related building components. The sapwood color tone is rustic/dusty “khaki-beige-cream. This lot consist of ten (10) pen rough cut pen planks and two (2) bottle stoppers. (*SEE POST #6 as this lot will be broken up in half with price reflecting the adjustment. There will be two (2) sets available (Set A & set B respectively). One set will consist of five (5) pen blanks and one (1) bottle stopper. First come first serve basis- first to claim the first set gets to choose the blanks (see end grain that are numbered with their appropriate piece designation). Whatever is left will be available as second set to the next buyer who claims it). My direct logger contacts in Hawaii have told me it is very difficult and very hard to find Hawaiian “lama” ebony compare to sandalwood. I only happened to come into this because a Hawaiian luthier/woodworker that I know had these old stock bits in their collection- used for rosettes and graft marquetry inlays on ukulele’s.

Please note these were rough cut as I have received them. There are natural multiple pin holes which is the nature of lama and could easily be filled with ebony dust/cyano or your crush turquoise or any filling you desire. A pen blank averages about 2.24 ounce. Blank 1 is light and half the weight because it is spalted- will need a hardener or stabilization as it is approximately 1.28 ounce.

The pen blanks will yield 3/4” square x 5” long usable blanks (they are roughly 6”-5” long from 13/16” to 15/16” square as is). There are a couple of seasoned checks on the 2 pen blanks (piece 3 HL & 7 HL) under 6” long that could be trimmed to net 5” workable length.

The bottle stoppers approximately dimensions piece 11-HL is 3-3/8” long, 1-7/8” and 2” at the shallowest, piece 12 HL is 3-3/8” long, 1-15/16” square at the shallowest. The bottle stoppers has 2 seasoned checks (see photo’s), but they will clean up at standard 3” long and at 1-1/2” square. See photo’s for reference.

Moisture content on the pen blanks is approximately 9%, the 2 bottle stoppers are 12-14% mc. Ends sealed with anchor seal. Photographed with an iPhone indoors with fluorescent lighting. All 4 sides shown with necessary close-ups.

Price is $ 200 shipped USPS via priority mail. *PLEASE SEE POST #6 for quantity and price adjustment as this lot is now is broken up into two (2) sets with price adjustment to reflect that.

@Mike Hill has first dibs.

 

[Nature Man]

Never heard of this species! Must be highly rare from what you said! chuck

 

[Arn213]

Never heard of this species! Must be highly rare from what you said! chuck

Thank you Chuck @Nature Man . It definitely is very hard to come by. One of my logger friend actually found another species of this lama ebony back mid 2019 on someone’s private property in O’ahu (it only grows there and Kaua’i)- “diospyros hillebrandii”, common Hawaiian name is elama or lama. More description below based on my experience and observation.

Here is a photo example of the lama ebony as a finished chalice (not mine used for visual reference only). You can see it is more sapwood and there is only a small bit of the center heartwood which is “charcoal in color” (some has a mix of charcoal and some reddish brown)- that is typical of lama with the sapwood being dominant. There is also the occurrence of “black ink blot bleed” that happens haphazardly on the surface with no rhyme or reason.

The sapwood is actually not white, that is how it is just worded that way in order to separate the sapwood and heartwood division (the heartwood is basically a very small percentage that runs in the middle and it is prone to cracking being in the pith area of the tree). The sapwood as I mentioned in my first post is rustic/dusty “khaki-beige-cream”. It has a light violin yellow amber when finished and over time it becomes shades darker, like an aged patina of warm golden yellow. See chalice photo for reference.

As far as workability, it is medium-high density, hard, closed pores and polishes smoothly with a silk hand.



On a side note and I apologize to our international friends- I cannot ship this internationally because of the pin holes as this would be quarantined and it would cost about $ 40 to fumigate it at it’s international destination.

Arn

 

[Gonzalodqa]

I know this is a for sale topic but thanks for the information. It is very interesting learning about pacific Diospyros

 

[Arn213]

I am glad and happy to be able to supply the information and this is what makes this site great because you will stumble into species you never heard of and be able to find out about them.

Looks like “Little Mikey” is busy hunting for
Easter eggs...........well, this is now open for anybody who is interested. Thank you.

 

[Arn213]

Let’s try this a different way. I just broke up this lot in half with price reflecting the adjustment. There will be two (2) sets available (Set A & set B respectively). One set will consist of five (5) pen blanks and one (1) bottle stopper. First come first serve basis- first to claim the first set gets to choose the blanks (see end grain that are numbered with their appropriate piece designation). Whatever is left will be available as second set to the next buyer who claims it).

Set A: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper. Choose your blanks.

Set B: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper.
Whatever is left from buyer selection from set A.

Price per set is $ 100 shipped within the 50 states. See price adjustment on post #6.

 

[Arn213]

Price reduction from $ 100 to $ 80 shipped to 50 states per set.

There will be two (2) sets available (Set A & set B respectively). One set will consist of five (5) pen blanks and one (1) bottle stopper. First come first serve basis- first to claim the first set gets to choose the blanks (see end grain that are numbered with their appropriate piece designation). Whatever is left will be available as second set to the next buyer who claims it).

Set A: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper. Choose your blanks.

Set B: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper.
Whatever is left from buyer selection from a sold set.

Once a set has been sold, will revised and show what blanks are available from the second set.

 

[Arn213]

Price reduction for $ 70 (was $ 80/$100), shipped to 50 states “per set” (there are two (2) sets available- A and B). These are considered rare and you will be hard press to find these available in the open market. A definite must for those wanting to add to their over growing pen collection!

There will be two (2) sets available (Set A & set B respectively). One set will consist of five (5) pen blanks and one (1) bottle stopper. First come first serve basis- first to claim the first set gets to choose the blanks (see end grain that are numbered with their appropriate piece designation). Whatever is left will be available as second set to the next buyer who claims it).

Set A: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper. Choose your blanks.

Set B: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper.
Whatever is left from buyer selection from a sold set.

Once a set has been sold, will revised and show what blanks are available from the second set.

 

[Arn213]

Will try one last time with a price reduction for $ 60 (was $ 70/$ 80/$100), shipped to 50 states “per set” (there are two (2) sets available- A and B) OR take both sets for $ 110.00 shipped. These are considered rare and you will be hard press to find these available in the open market. A definite must for those wanting to add to their over growing pen collection!

There will be two (2) sets available (Set A & set B respectively). One set will consist of five (5) pen blanks and one (1) bottle stopper. First come first serve basis- first to claim the first set gets to choose the blanks (see end grain that are numbered with their appropriate piece designation). Whatever is left will be available as second set to the next buyer who claims it).

Set A: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper. Choose your blanks.

Set B: 5 pen blanks & 1 bottle stopper.
Whatever is left from buyer selection from a sold set.

Once a set has been sold, will revised and show what blanks are available from the second set.