Huaghuali wood,although very rare and almost extinct,is a familiar wood to all Chinese furniture enthusiasts.Infact it is the dream of many,to one day own a
It is now generally agreed that the botanical name for huanghuali wood is Dalbergia odorifera.In early times ti was referred to as hualu and huali wood ,but it is only in this century that is it was given the name huanghuali, differentiating it from lao huali wood.
From historical records we know that the Chinese knew about this wood as early as the 5th century,but from the few remaining examples of early excavated furniture,it is evident that the wood did not seem to become popularly used until sometive around the mid-Ming dynasty in the 16th century.This tropical hard wood is said to have come from North Vietnam,Guangxi,Hainan Island and Nanhai(islands of the South China Sea).
Huanghuali wood has always been a precious only with huanghuali furniture is an entirely different experience from entering a room filled with soft wood furniture.With the latter ther is a feeling of rustic elegance but in the room of huanghuali furniture there is an air of sattely majesty and pristine refinement(fig.1).This feeling owes a great deal to the quality of the wood and the form of its furniture.
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