wood specialist , please

[JMOR]

Anyone know what the wood is in these medallions and center of vanity?

 

[MJMJ]

I m certainly no expert, but it looks like a birds eye birch or something similar.

 

[JMOR]

thank you and I hope for more responses too.

 

[Janicholson]

Bird's eye birch or bird's eye sugar or silver maple. SOme of the answer revolves around what it looked before finish was applied. No finish is perfectly transparent, some are close, but change the grain reflectivity. If they come off, you could sand the back to assess true unfinished color. The smaller piece could be plain birch or light maple. Jim

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Birds eye maple would be my vote also. I have a couple cue sticks with that for the shaft & the one has some birds eye inlay in the handle.

Mike

 

[Steve in VA]

I'm along with the crew for bird's eye.

 

[Caryc]

Yep, birds eye maple. I've purchased a lot of it and made a lot of gun grips from it.

 

[stevieb49829]

The big medallion is birdseye maple. The smaller medallion is some other plain grain wood or could be a composite wood product. Based on what appears to be Black Walnut on the face, the smaller medallion could be basswood, aspen/cottonwood, or clear white birch, based on a supposition of when and where the piece was made. Many of those small, intricate onlays were made out of pressed wood putty.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Other than the ones that is birdseye maple they use a lot of basswood and aspen to make those.

 

[Texasmark]

Me too.

 

[RGMartin]

I am seeing myrtle on black walnut.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 07:15:29 07/07/23) I am seeing myrtle on black walnut.

he furniture was bought in the 1920's in Texas. Where made is unknown. Thank you for all the input. What makes 'birds eye" in the wood? Cut a certain way?

 

[Janicholson]

A gall or growth defect and poor growing conditions/drought, causes multiple (hundreds) of tiny twigs to grow out of a lump on the side of the tree. The tiny twigs often don't over winter and die leaving patterns in the wood. Jim

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:51:57 07/07/23) A gall or growth defect and poor growing conditions/drought, causes multiple (hundreds) of tiny twigs to grow out of a lump on the side of the tree. The tiny twigs often don't over winter and die leaving patterns in the wood. Jim

uch appreciated. Thanks again, Jim

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 09:51:57 07/07/23) A gall or growth defect and poor growing conditions/drought, causes multiple (hundreds) of tiny twigs to grow out of a lump on the side of the tree. The tiny twigs often don't over winter and die leaving patterns in the wood. Jim

Sorry, I'm not exactly buying that. How do you explain a 12 foot long board of birds eye maple? What you're talking about is more of a burl.

 

[Janicholson]

Some can be found on the trunks of kinda normal stressed trees, making larger veneers. That usually has fewer knots but is still nice. Jim

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

What a beautiful antique dresser. Cherry or walnut? Can't ID the medallion but appears to be birdseye maple as stated.


Tim Daley (MI)

 

[Stephen Newell]

The birdseye isn't caused by the way it's cut. It's in the wood regardless of the direction it's cut. Nobody really knows what causes the phenomenon.