| The featured item page is intended to show an in-depth display of a turned item. The item will change every few months. The purpose here is to show a variety of images and give people a better feel what these items are like. Please email me comments, I love to hear your feedback, Thanks, Brad Harding, Harding Pens. contact me |
September's Feature – Pink Ivory - An Exotic Wood from Southern Africa
This month's feature is a new exotic wood I purchased recently and tried on a few pens: Pink
Ivory. This wood has interesting historical folklore, and an exquisite pink colour. Don't work folks, it
is a wood and not animal ivory. The ivory name comes from the wood's beautiful luster.
Clink on the pink ivory links to get detailed information about the wood. Here is a brief history of
the wood:
History: Pink Ivory was the royal wood of the Zulu people of Africa. Legend states that the Zulu
king would carry a staff crafted from this wood, as well as ornamental jewelry. Only full-fledged
members of the Zulu Kingdom's royal family were officially allowed to possess it back in the 1800s.
To drive home the idea of this exclusivity — as well as to increase demand abroad — some
unknown, 19th-century marketing guru spread the rumor that any non-royal entity (foreigners
included) found in possession of Pink Ivory would face the death penalty. Naturally, the wood has
been highly sought after by woodworkers around the world ever since. (Nothing like the threat of
capital punishment to spike interest.) Berchemia zeyheri is a protected tree in South Africa, and
only cut down by limited permit, making it one of the rarest and expensive crafting woods in the
world.
Thanks for viewing my web site; I would love to hear your feedback. Also, please send me any
questions or comments you may have. You can reach me through the contact-me page.
Brad Harding
www.HardingPens.com
Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
This month's feature is a new exotic wood I purchased recently and tried on a few pens: Pink
Ivory. This wood has interesting historical folklore, and an exquisite pink colour. Don't work folks, it
is a wood and not animal ivory. The ivory name comes from the wood's beautiful luster.
Clink on the pink ivory links to get detailed information about the wood. Here is a brief history of
the wood:
History: Pink Ivory was the royal wood of the Zulu people of Africa. Legend states that the Zulu
king would carry a staff crafted from this wood, as well as ornamental jewelry. Only full-fledged
members of the Zulu Kingdom's royal family were officially allowed to possess it back in the 1800s.
To drive home the idea of this exclusivity — as well as to increase demand abroad — some
unknown, 19th-century marketing guru spread the rumor that any non-royal entity (foreigners
included) found in possession of Pink Ivory would face the death penalty. Naturally, the wood has
been highly sought after by woodworkers around the world ever since. (Nothing like the threat of
capital punishment to spike interest.) Berchemia zeyheri is a protected tree in South Africa, and
only cut down by limited permit, making it one of the rarest and expensive crafting woods in the
world.
Thanks for viewing my web site; I would love to hear your feedback. Also, please send me any
questions or comments you may have. You can reach me through the contact-me page.
Brad Harding
www.HardingPens.com
Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
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Featured Item
October 2009
October 2009
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| One-of-a-Kind Fine Writing Instruments and Turned Treasures |
| Harding Pens and Woodturnings |
Exposing the beauty that God weaves into wood ...
| Pen #236 Pink Ivory, European style pen, Satin Nickel Hardware |
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