Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood. Some species in the genus Diospyros yield an ebony with similar physical properties, but striped rather than evenly black, which these pens are.
Ebony has a long history of use, and carved pieces have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs.
By the end of the 16th century, fine cabinets for the luxury trade were made of ebony in Antwerp. The wood's dense hardness lent itself to refined moldings framing finely detailed pictorial panels with carving in very low relief.
Modern uses are largely restricted to small items, such as musical instrument parts, including black piano, organ and harpsichord keys; stringed instrument fingerboards; tailpieces; tuning pegs; chinrests; and bow frogs. Many plectrums, or guitar picks, are made from ebony.
As a result of unsustainable harvesting, many species yielding ebony are now considered threatened.
This timber for these pens was purchased at a Sydney Wood Show.
