First, the origin of "oily" Huang Huali wood: Huang Huali is a literary name, also known as Dalbergia odorifera. Its real scientific name is still a bit confusing. According to the new viewpoint of academic circles, Huang Huali wood can be divided into three types; 1, Dalbergia type. The color of this Huang Huali is light yellow, and the fine line texture is not obvious. More common in early Ming furniture. 2, oily type. This kind of wood is rich in oil, dark in color, mostly light brownish red and dark chestnut, with changeable spots and textures, dynamic in light, and transparent in amber and wood. This kind of wood is easily confused with old mahogany. Modeling is often late, which is very common in large families in southern towns and villages. 3. Deodorization type. The color is khaki, the texture is clear and smooth, and the microscopic brown eyes are open with fish lines. There are often stripes composed of black pith lines, and the gathering places are mostly grimace-like. It is the most typical kind of Huang Huali wood, and its usage is also the largest, which is common in the north and cities. We have seen this kind of furniture in Wang's Appreciation of Ming-style Furniture, the furniture in Shanghai Museum, the Forbidden City, the auctions in recent years, and even the website Yachang. In fact, the "oily" and "odorless" rosewood used in Ming and Qing furniture are mostly produced in Hainan. Due to the influence of sunlight, rain and soil, the "oily fragrance type" appeared in the west of Hainan Province, and the "odorless fragrance type" appeared in the east of Hainan Province. The reason why Dalbergia odorifera is more common is that the eastern and northeastern parts of Hainan have a gentle slope and a large plain, which is especially suitable for cutting and transporting Huanghua pear trees (this is a big problem in the Ming and Qing Dynasties), while the western part has a steep slope and is extremely inconvenient to transport. Therefore, the development of "fragrant" wood is later than that of "fragrant" wood, and the quantity is relatively small.
Second, the origin of old redwood: In the middle of Qing Dynasty, window glass became more and more popular in superior families, and various mosaic techniques became more and more popular. Placing dark hardwood furniture has become a fashion in the north and south of China. Mahogany, as a substitute for precious and hard-to-find rosewood and dried Huang Huali wood, is imported in large quantities from Nanyang. Its scientific name should be Dalbergia Auschwitz, which is the best in rosewood. It also has amber texture, satin luster, grimace pattern and different colors. Therefore, it is easily confused with Huang Huali wood with oily fragrance. Because Cantonese people like the heavy colors of red sandalwood and iron pear, Suzhou people prefer the light colors of traditional Huang Huali and beech. When choosing old mahogany, dark colors are mostly used for extensive furniture, and light colors are mostly used for Soviet-style furniture. (Southerners call it white sour branch)
Third, the origin of the new mahogany: the new mahogany is obviously relative to the old mahogany. After the old mahogany was warned, some merchants imported similar mahogany varieties as substitutes. The new mahogany has the basic appearance of the old mahogany, but it is only observed by the naked eye. The surface is obviously rough and has a feeling that it will never be polished. Moreover, the color of the new mahogany is lighter than that of the old mahogany, which makes many people confuse it with Cao Huali. New mahogany furniture styles are often late, mostly from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China.
4. Origin of Caohuali: It is the worst kind of common pear, with large and loose brown eyes, no black pith line, no fish lines and no grimace. No oily luster, light weight and poor aesthetic feeling. Most of the furniture made is in the shape of the Republic of China.
To sum up, "fragrant" rosewood is easily confused because it has many similarities with old rosewood, grass rosewood and new rosewood, especially its poor preservation and heavy wax loss.