identify wood chips
- Thread starter Ahmir
- Start date
Another installment in "What Not to Do": I saw a very attractive piece of Oud on E-bay and I purchased it even though I have been warned by others that it is Bohya. I bought it with the understanding from the seller that if this turned out to be not Aleoswood that I can return it. Well upon arrival I tested it andsure enough it smells like...damp Wood. Lots of smoke but just burned wood smell. Lesson: don't depend and count on "the look" of chips; buy from a known and trusted source...now let me see if he'll accept a return 
here is how it looked in pictures
here is how it looked in pictures
@floraopia and Adam: I think couple of things did not "click" from the prize in relation to the weight and something about the shape. It was inexpensive at $160 for 88grams! but I never really understood what was wrong with the shape. I had thought to myself that either it is treated to look like this or this is a double super/ king super and that the seller did not know. I know now that it is former. When I pour hot water over it emits a faint woody/medicinal smell but it is definitely not Incense grade.
Just a follow up to the wood story above. So the seller advised that I pour warm water over it (between 40 and 50 degree Celsius) so I can smell the Aleoswood, so I did pour hot water over one end. no smell, just a slight varnish smell but when the chip dried look at how it looks vs. how it originally looked
you can clearly see how the left side looks faint and has lost all the dark lines vs. the right side/unwashed. I am convinced now that thia piece has been altered either by staining or painting
you can clearly see how the left side looks faint and has lost all the dark lines vs. the right side/unwashed. I am convinced now that thia piece has been altered either by staining or painting
Just a follow up to the wood story above. So the seller advised that I pour warm water over it (between 40 and 50 degree Celsius) so I can smell the Aleoswood, so I did pour hot water over one end. no smell, just a slight varnish smell but when the chip dried look at how it looks vs. how it originally looked
View attachment 238
you can clearly see how the left side looks faint and has lost all the dark lines vs. the right side/unwashed. I am convinced now that thia piece has been altered either by staining or painting
@ Masstika. Sorry to hear about your ebay endevour. I was getting decent stuff off ebay about a year and a half ago but the last purchases have left a bad taste in my mouth. It's getting too hard to sell stuff on there as well. By the time you pay paypal, ebay fees and shipping it's not even worth it.
Here is some pictures of an old wild Hindi piece weighting about 107 grams harvested circa 1960's. I am the Third Owner including the original. it has Incense grade between lower A and AB grade. It is typical Hindi profile, spicy and to the sweet side. it's value is more in the particular shape and the craftsman of the artisan cleaning it and how they carved the white wood from the inside.
http://s1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/masstika1/Indian%20Wild-107%20grams/
http://s1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/masstika1/Indian%20Wild-107%20grams/