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ROSEWOOD, SIAM

Dalbergia cochinchinensis

Dalbergia cochinchinensis of the family Fabaceae (syn. Leguminosae) the legume, pea, or bean family

This true rosewood is a very hard, heavy, dense, and attractive wood (all fairly typical characteristics of true rosewoods) that takes a high polish. Somewhat hard to work due to the density. Also known by various other names using place of origin (Laos rosewood, Thailand rosewood, etc) and sometimes sold as "flamewood".

THE ROSEWOODS, REAL and OTHERWISE

my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions

sample plank and end grain listed as Laos rosewood / Dalbergia cochinensis which should be "cochinchinensis"


end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of Tonkin rosewood / Dalbergia cochinchinensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of Tonkin rosewood / Dalbergia cochinchinensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of Tonkin rosewood / Dalbergia cochinchinensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of Tonkin rosewood / Dalbergia cochinchinensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


moderately-fine-sanded plank and end grain


end grain closeup of the piece directly above


both sides of a couple of small pieces. The first pic shows a sanded surface and the second shows the other side, unsanded.


end grain and end grain closeup of the more colorful of the two pieces above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


end grain of the less colorful of the two pieces above, and the same piece moistened with water. Because this is already a fairly dark wood, the moistening does not make a dramatic change in the color.


end grain closeup of the piece directly above


raw plank


sanded plank (OK, "sort of" sanded plank. I did not go deep enough to remove the DEEP scratches that were in it when I got it but it is a lot cleaner than when I started)


both sides of a plank. The first pic shows a sanded side, the second and unsanded side.


both sides of a plank. Note that the top pic is after fine sanding and the lower pic is the other side which still has an aged patina


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above. The end is badly sanded, so scratch marks are VERY evident.

web pics:

planks sold as cochin rosewood


planks


veneer listed as cochen rosewood / Dalbergia cochinchinensis


Siam rosewood veneer, flat cut and quartersawn

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NOTE: these are all from the BogusColorVendor so the colors are highly suspect


both sides of long plank and a closeup. The distance pics actually seem to be color correct but the closeup demonstrates once again the absolutely egregious way in which this vendor fakes the color of their products to appear some brilliant color that has little or no relationship to the wood that they are actually selling.


both sides of a plank and a closeup (listed as flamewood)


planks listed as flamewood