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I have just bought this three piece of blackwood tai shi.According to the seller,these were brought in from China and its age is about 90 to 100 years.From the carving and workmanship,I am very confident it is from Republic era.Can someone advise whether I am right or wrong with regards to the suanzi (blackwood).

More photos of the grain

The colour of the wood is more towards brownish and not reddish as I understand red suanzi colour is reddish.Is it black suanzi?

Mire photos

1. 1st Photo- wood grain of the table
2. 2nd & 3rd photos - wood grain of the chairs

these are called blackwood hongmu in northern china or sour wood (suanzi) by the cantonese and vietnamese in the southern Guandong region as it produces a sour smell when it is freshly cut and crafted. These trees were local to the sub tropical region of
Guandong, Vietnam and Laos. They are crafted by Cantonese and Vietnamese craft men in the 19th century and exported round the world they are found in Nonya baba houses in Singapore and Indonesia, even found in the Beijing imperial palace and the summer palaces. Bought there probably by the later ching emperors and empress Cixi. These furniture are very heavy have a nice color and very strong. only problem is the joint seems to loosen up after time and can be repeg or glued with wood glue. They are not cheapest of the rose wood furniture , behind huali,jichimu and telimu. The design is very elaborate and not in the taste of the Chinese scholars.

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