Pink Ivory wood from Griffin Exotic Wood

Griffin Exotic Wood

Pink Ivory
(rhamnus zeyheri and also berchemia zeyheri)

Pink Ivory wood, a sacred wood of Zulu chiefs in Southern Africa, has long been treasured as a rare wood. At one time, it was said to be rarer than diamonds. The wood grows in various parts of Africa, and takes hundreds of years to reach a size suitable to make a bowl blank. It has a very fine grain and takes as high a polish as you would like to give it. Finishes that block UV light can be advantageous, since sunlight will gradually darken the wood. A fantastic ornamental turning wood also. Very hard and heavy, with the ability to take very fine details. Most of our Pink Ivory is dried (will be marked on the item if dried, except pen blanks which are always dried). This is no simple process. The logs are allowed to dry for 5-10 years and they crack profusely during the process. We then get an average yield of 18% from each log that is free of defects and has good color (good color is less then half the usable wood) to make the pieces we sell, and mostly we get pen blanks. Many logs can't produce a single 1.5 x 1.5 x 6, and larger is truly rare. Selling wet pink ivory is very different and has far lower costs. To dry a piece that is 2 x 2 x 12 from the wet/waxed state will take at least 3 years (usually 4) of constant humidity above a certain level and a fairly constant temperature using the right techniques. It takes years of monitoring and occasional adjustments to dry a piece of wet pink ivory if you can provide the right conditions. For that reason, the pieces not marked dried are far cheaper since there is about 75% less labor to produce them. Truly dry Pink Ivory is so much trouble to produce that it is rare on the market in these defect free pieces we make. Be aware of some vendors false claims of dry wood, it seems to be a very common claim for many woods we have tested to be completely wet after we buy a piece to verify claims of dryness.

Grading:

Primo: best pink to red color over 95% before turning. No more than one tight knot under 1/8" that is light in color, usually knot free (burl eyes are not knots).
Excellent quality: has good color over part of the piece after turning round, might have a tiny (max of 3/16" )knot or two that is black and some off color wood .
Good quality: Has off color wood even after turning, some pink to red though and is still a good piece. Small tight black knots up to 1/4" allowed.
Seconds: Have some (50-100%) off colors and may be as short as 4.75 " if a pen blank.
Figured: has some curl figure as well as at least excellent grade.

SIZES ARE IN INCHES
unless specified otherwise.


Exotic Wood Chart
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Pen Blanks:

Sample photo of primo color. Primo is always pink to pink/red.

Click photo for side 2

Dried pink ivory-- cut in our own shop (the only way to assure quality with this wood type).

Notes: Piece 26 has a rounded corner, Piece 31 has a tiny knot

ALL PIECES ARE DRIED TO 12% or LESS

No surprises: ALL four sides visible in photos: Click here for a third side view.
Click here for final fourth side view.

Anything missing in the listings below or that gives a red out of stock notice in the shopping cart is Sold.

	Pink Ivory Piece 22 1+ x 1+ x 5 3/8 inches Dried Price: $21.50
		Pink Ivory Piece 30 1 3/8+ x 1 3/8+ x 4 3/8 inches Dried Price: $21.00
Pink Ivory Piece 31 1.25+ x 1.25+ x 4 inches Dried Price: $14.00	Pink Ivory Piece 33 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 x 3 5/8 inches Dried Price: $20.00

Click photo for side 2

Dried pink ivory-- cut in our own shop (the only way to assure quality with this wood type).

Notes: 43 has one corner rounded over

ALL PIECES ARE DRIED TO 12% or LESS

No surprises: ALL four sides visible in photos: Click here for a third side view.
Click here for final fourth side view.

Anything missing in the listings below or that gives a red out of stock notice in the shopping cart is Sold.

	Pink Ivory Piece 37 1 x 1 x 6.25 inches Dried Price: $22.00	Pink Ivory Piece 38 1 x 1 x 6 1/8 inches Dried Price: $19.00
	Pink Ivory Piece 42 1 3/8+ x 1 3/8+ x 6 1/8 inches Dried Price: $37.00	Pink Ivory Piece 43 1 x 1 x 6 inches Dried Price: $17.00

Click photo for side 2

Dried pink ivory-- cut in our own shop (the only way to assure quality with this wood type).

Notes: Piece 45 has a small rounded corner area (upper left of pic above)

ALL PIECES ARE DRIED TO 12% or LESS

No surprises: ALL four sides visible in photos: Click here for a third side view.
Click here for final fourth side view.

Any item number missing in the listings below or that gives a red out of stock notice in the shopping cart is Sold.


Pink Ivory Piece 56 7/8 x 7/8 x 8 5/8 inches Dried Price: $22.00

Click photo for side 2

Dried pink ivory-- cut in our own shop (the only way to assure quality with this wood type).

Notes: Figure in pieces 60, 71, 73, 74, 75 and high figure in piece 68. Small insect hole in 63, see pic 3.

ALL PIECES ARE DRIED TO 12% or LESS

No surprises: ALL four sides visible in photos: Click here for a third side view.
Click here for final fourth side view.

Any item number missing in the listings below or that gives a red out of stock notice in the shopping cart is Sold.

Pink Ivory Piece 72 1 x 1 x 5 1/8 inches Dried Price: $14.00	Pink Ivory Piece 73 1 x 1 x 4 5/8 inches Dried Price: $14.50	Pink Ivory Piece 74 1 x 1 x 4 3/8 inches Dried Price: $15.00
Pink Ivory Piece 75 1 x 1 x 4.25 inches Dried Price: $15.00

Click photo for side 2

Dried pink ivory-cut in our own shop (the only way to assure quality with this wood type).

notes: 84 is figured/burly

ALL PIECES ARE DRIED TO 12% or LESS

No surprises: ALL four sides visible in photos:

Click here for a third side view.

Click here for final fourth side view.

Any item number missing in the listings below or that gives a red out of stock notice in the shopping cart is Sold.


Pink Ivory Piece 79 1.5 x 1.5 x 6.25 inches Dried Price: $36.00		Pink Ivory Piece 88 1 1/8 x 1.5+ x 6 7/8 inches Dried Price: $32.00

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