PINK IVORY - (Berchemia zeyheri) Pink Ivory wood known as the "royal wood" of the Zulus Tribe as only full-fledged members of the Zulu Kingdom's royal family were officially allowed to possess it back in the 1800's. It's rumored that any non-royal entity (foreigners included) found in possession of Pink Ivory would face the death penalty. This is not a true fact but a plan to drive up the price, which worked very well.
Pink Ivory is especially favored nowadays by carvers and turners, and is typically used to make smaller-sized items such as bowls, pool cue butts, chess pieces, golf putters, knife handles, and game calls; it is also popular for inlay and marquetry work. Pink Ivory blanks are usually on the narrower side because the trees — found predominantly in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique — rarely produce trunks wider than a foot in diameter (the trees reach heights of about 20 to 40 feet).
This wood is one of the rarest woods in the world.
Pink Ivory is especially favored nowadays by carvers and turners, and is typically used to make smaller-sized items such as bowls, pool cue butts, chess pieces, golf putters, knife handles, and game calls; it is also popular for inlay and marquetry work. Pink Ivory blanks are usually on the narrower side because the trees — found predominantly in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique — rarely produce trunks wider than a foot in diameter (the trees reach heights of about 20 to 40 feet).
This wood is one of the rarest woods in the world.