Difference between revisions of "Ebony"

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black ebony (''Diospyros dendo''); Macassar ebony (''Diospyros melanoxylon''); Calamander ebony (''Diospyros quaesita''); ébène (Fr.); Ebenholz (Deut.); ebano (It.); ébano (Esp., Port.); kokutan (Jap.); (''Diospyros ebenum''); Gaboon ebony; marblewood; partridgewood; acapau; kaki; Coromandel ebony
 
black ebony (''Diospyros dendo''); Macassar ebony (''Diospyros melanoxylon''); Calamander ebony (''Diospyros quaesita''); ébène (Fr.); Ebenholz (Deut.); ebano (It.); ébano (Esp., Port.); kokutan (Jap.); (''Diospyros ebenum''); Gaboon ebony; marblewood; partridgewood; acapau; kaki; Coromandel ebony
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== Personal Risks ==
  
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May cause skin allergies.
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[[File:1990.272-SC58807.jpg|thumb|]]
 
== Physical and Chemical Properties ==
 
== Physical and Chemical Properties ==
  
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[[File:1990.272-SC58807.jpg|thumb|]]
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== Additional Information ==
== Hazards and Safety ==
 
 
 
May cause skin allergies.
 
  
== Additional Information ==
 
  
H.Kuhn, ''Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities'', Butterworths, London, 1986.
 
  
 
== Additional Images ==
 
== Additional Images ==
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</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
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==Resources and Citations==
== Sources Checked for Data in Record ==
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* H.Kuhn, ''Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities'', Butterworths, London, 1986.
 
 
 
* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 285
 
* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 285
  
 
* Ralph Mayer, ''A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques'', Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
 
* Ralph Mayer, ''A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques'', Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
 
* Hermann Kuhn, ''Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities'', Butterworths, London, 1986
 
  
 
* F. H. Titmuss, ''Commercial Timbers of the World'', The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965  Comment: 70-80 ppcf
 
* F. H. Titmuss, ''Commercial Timbers of the World'', The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965  Comment: 70-80 ppcf
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* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "Ebony." Encyclopædia Britannica. 18 Aug. 2004  .
 
* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "Ebony." Encyclopædia Britannica. 18 Aug. 2004  .
  
* Website address 1  Comment: Museum of Japanese Traditional Art Crafts at http://www.nihon-kogeikai.com/ (Jap. term)
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* Museum of Japanese Traditional Art Crafts at http://www.nihon-kogeikai.com/ (Jap. term)
  
 
* H.L.Edlin, ''What Wood is That?'', Viking Press, New York, 1969
 
* H.L.Edlin, ''What Wood is That?'', Viking Press, New York, 1969

Revision as of 12:47, 2 October 2020

Hurdy-Gurdy
MFA# 17.1735

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Snail netsuke
MFA# 11.2316

Description

Any of trees of the genus Diospyros, with very dark, hard, heavy heartwood. These trees are native to Africa (black or Gaboon ebony, D.dendo), to India and Ceylon (D.ebenum), east India (Coromandel or Macassar ebony, D.melanoxylon), Sri Lanka (Calamander ebony, D.quaesita). Ebony's dense, smooth-grain wood has been valued from the earliest times and was imported to Egypt from Nubia and the Sudan (Kuhn 1986). It is extremely durable and resistant to rotting, fungi and powder post beetles. Ebony, even though it is difficult to work and carve, is valued for decorative items, inlay work, black piano keys, musical instruments, and tool handles. It is rarely found in large pieces.

Several other dark, heavy woods from unrelated species are also called ebony because of their color. These are: green ebony (Cocuswood), brown ebony (Coffeewood), blue ebony and Mozambique ebony (African blackwood).

Ebony bowl
MFA# 1981.406

Synonyms and Related Terms

black ebony (Diospyros dendo); Macassar ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon); Calamander ebony (Diospyros quaesita); ébène (Fr.); Ebenholz (Deut.); ebano (It.); ébano (Esp., Port.); kokutan (Jap.); (Diospyros ebenum); Gaboon ebony; marblewood; partridgewood; acapau; kaki; Coromandel ebony

Personal Risks

May cause skin allergies.

1990.272-SC58807.jpg

Physical and Chemical Properties

Rings: obscure. Pores: diffuse, fine. Grain: obscure or invisible. Rays: obscure.

Extremely hard and heavy.

Density 69-83 ppcf
Molecular Weight specific gravity = 1.08

Additional Information

Additional Images

Resources and Citations

  • H.Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986.
  • G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 285
  • Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
  • F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965 Comment: 70-80 ppcf
  • H.L.Edlin, What Wood is That?, Viking Press, New York, 1969
  • CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: density=69-83 ppcf (1.11-1.33 g/cm3)
  • Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

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