Macassar ebony (Diospyros celebica) is named after it's main exporting seaport on the Indonesian island of Celebes (today Sulawesi). Ebony is a popular trade name given to all species of Diospyros that have black heartwood. Macassar ebony from Indonesia is highly variegated and referred to as a 'coloured ebony'. The trees usually are not thick and often discoloured in a way that makes their wood worthless. Macassar ebony with even texture and fine grain is one of the most prized woods in the wood trade today, and it is only available in restricted quantities. In the 1920s Macassar was one of the leading art deco woods, yielding terrific effects with highly decorative polished veneers! The wood is hard, dense and heavy, works well with sharp tools and finishes very well.
