Can anyone help identify this wood? It came from a wood turner who passed away and his family gave the wood to the Richmond Woodturners Club. You want to see a bunch of old wood turners move fast just say free wood. The wood is very hard. Could it be rock maple?
My guess is maple. FWIW, my grandson has my bedroom suite that was called hard rock maple. It doesn't have the wavy grain like the turning but has fine, straight grain.
That is a beautiful piece!
I would also go with curly maple, which is hard maple or sugar maple or rock maple, all of which can have birdseye, curl or quilted figure.
You typically will not see such figure in furniture pieces because the figure makes it more difficult to work, match and finish.
The hard rock maple used in the Young Republic and other lines of Tell City Chair Company furniture was chosen for straight, consistent grain for a smooth, consistent finish.