Looking for uncommon rosewoods

Friedrich9 said:
Hello everyone, I’m a big rosewood collector, particularly bowl blanks. So I’m looking to buy or trade for some uncommon ones.
Burmese Blackwood (Dalbergia cultrata) I have a few small pieces, but I haven’t been able to find a bowl blank of it, and have been searching for years. I’d be very excited if someone would have one or more available.
Im also looking for Sau wood? (Dalbergia tonkinensis)
And Chinese rosewood (dalbergia odorifera) for those two I’m less picky about size as I currently have none of those.
If anyone else has something else off the beaten path they’d like to offer, I’d be happy to discuss it. I just ask that you be fairly sure of the botanical name, I know being 100% sure can be hard. So if you are fairly sure it’ll work for me.

looking forward to hearing from you,
Fred
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Fred,

I have a piece of D. Tonkinensis from my days as an herbarium curator. It is VERY prone to checking, even when the moisture content is <4-5%. My piece has 1/4" checks that keep growing. I visited Hainan Island in late 2018 and all the D. tonkinensis trees were under surveillance. Yes, 24/7 PLA (Chinese Army/Nat'l Guard) surveillance. That species is not going to be available. The prices they quote on Wikipedia are inaccurate. It cannot be found, period. If you are lucky--and really know your rosewoods--it can be seen in old Ming-era furniture. Be prepared to pay $10,000 minimum for a genuine period piece--assuming the vendor does NOT know it is D. tonkinensis. Most are veneer, but still better than no D. tonkinensis.

I do have several pieces of D. odorifera. It is actually called Huang Hua'Li (Fragrant Pear Wood), not Chinese Rosewood. I tell you this so you can find it more readily. The Chinese markets will sell you "Chinese Rosewood" and it's really D. Latifolia...

I have attached a photo of one of my D. odorifera pieces. I am not willing to trade, but I know of an excellent vendor--on eBay of all places--that sells the stuff in small lots. I am a collector, and luthier, and furniture maker...but some of this rare stuff is too fun to pass on.

PM me if you want the eBay guy's details. He has some pieces listed now (300g) for around $200. Steep, but it's banned to export from China. His stock comes from Burma. I have had nothing but good transactions with this guy, although it takes about a month to get the wood via Chinese AirMail...just be patient, and it will come.

Dalbergia odorifera T Chen Hainain 1.webp
 
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  • #23
davis upchurch said:
Fred,

I have a piece of D. Tonkinensis from my days as an herbarium curator. It is VERY prone to checking, even when the moisture content is <4-5%. My piece has 1/4" checks that keep growing. I visited Hainan Island in late 2018 and all the D. tonkinensis trees were under surveillance. Yes, 24/7 PLA (Chinese Army/Nat'l Guard) surveillance. That species is not going to be available. The prices they quote on Wikipedia are inaccurate. It cannot be found, period. If you are lucky--and really know your rosewoods--it can be seen in old Ming-era furniture. Be prepared to pay $10,000 minimum for a genuine period piece--assuming the vendor does NOT know it is D. tonkinensis. Most are veneer, but still better than no D. tonkinensis.

I do have several pieces of D. odorifera. It is actually called Huang Hua'Li (Fragrant Pear Wood), not Chinese Rosewood. I tell you this so you can find it more readily. The Chinese markets will sell you "Chinese Rosewood" and it's really D. Latifolia...

I have attached a photo of one of my D. odorifera pieces. I am not willing to trade, but I know of an excellent vendor--on eBay of all places--that sells the stuff in small lots. I am a collector, and luthier, and furniture maker...but some of this rare stuff is too fun to pass on.

PM me if you want the eBay guy's details. He has some pieces listed now (300g) for around $200. Steep, but it's banned to export from China. His stock comes from Burma. I have had nothing but good transactions with this guy, although it takes about a month to get the wood via Chinese AirMail...just be patient, and it will come.

View attachment 243728
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Thank you for the information, I appreciate it. I sort of figured D. tonkinensis was a long shot.

I am interested in the vendor for D. Odorifera, I sent you a PM.
 
Dalbergia tonkinensis and odorifera I don’t have. I have 16 other species on hand now, including some you don’t see everyday.
 
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  • #25
TurkeyWood said:
Dalbergia tonkinensis and odorifera I don’t have. I have 16 other species on hand now, including some you don’t see everyday.
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I’m Interested to see what you have to offer if you are interested in selling or trading.
 
African Blackwood
Amazon Rosewood
Aztec Rosewood (D. calderonii)
Bois de Rose
Brazilian Rosewood
Burmese Blackwood
Burmese Rosewood
Camatillo
Cocobolo
East Indian Rosewood
Honduran Rosewood
Kingwood
Palisander
Siamese Rosewood
Tulipwood
Voamboana (possibly D. monticola)

My rarest (to me) are D. calderonii and “monticola”. I have others that have been used for turned collectables, but they’re less dense than those above.
 
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There’s a recent thread I started in the wood ID section if you want to check out the D. calderonii and what I think is D. monticola.
 
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  • #28
TurkeyWood said:
African Blackwood
Amazon Rosewood
Aztec Rosewood (D. calderonii)
Bois de Rose
Brazilian Rosewood
Burmese Blackwood
Burmese Rosewood
Camatillo
Cocobolo
East Indian Rosewood
Honduran Rosewood
Kingwood
Palisander
Siamese Rosewood
Tulipwood
Voamboana (possibly D. monticola)

My rarest (to me) are D. calderonii and “monticola”. I have others that have been used for turned collectables, but their less dense than those above.
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I’d be interested in the D. Calderon I and Moticola. In addition to the Burmese Blackwood, and possibly Palisander.

Also interested to learn what less dense species you have available?

Thank you
 
I am in awe! I am but a piker! As Elaine (of Seinfeld) might say "that might be spongworthy!" of all those woods and the ones on the other thread!
 
Mike1950 said:
This is straight from jungle of Laos. We are seeing the end of some of these species.
Yes those are doable and we’re looking out for them. Burmese rosewood is what I’m after.
Btw, average diameter for rosewood logs is 5”-7”. They’re not that big at all. After cutting out the bark they’re mostly good for frets and necks or turning blanks in your case.
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I’ve got a blank or two of Burmese Rosewood.
 
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  • #33
@JR Parks. Sorry for the delayed response. What are you asking for the Bois de rose? I have a fair amount, but I may be interested.
 
I found “birdseye Viet Rosewood” at Greenberg Woods. Greenberg says it’s D. tonkinensis. It’s a burl and not straight-grained. May find some straight-grained if you look around though.
 
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  • #35
TurkeyWood said:
I found “birdseye Viet Rosewood” at Greenberg Woods. Greenberg says it’s D. tonkinensis. It’s a burl and not straight-grained. May find some straight-grained if you look around though.
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I just checked it out. It’s a very good looking piece of wood. Do you know how good he is at having the proper identification for the woods he sells?
Thank you for posting about it also.
 
I cannot vouch for his id ability, but he does travel to buy at times. I've ordered twice from him and just received a piece of that BVR and it is definitely pretty - not what I would call birdseye in the strict sense of birdseye maple - but interesting piece of burly wood nonetheless. Seems to be what he says they are. Also got a piece of curly narra, and azfelia xylia, that I've fallen in love with!
 
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  • #37
Mike1950 said:
No deposit. I promise. I will save for ypu
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Hi Mike,
Hope you are doing well. I was curious if you might have an idea when you will be getting the container of rosewood in, if at all?
 
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