Just received my order from Sergey at Bibigon in Russia. The black hornbeam is exactly what I was looking for. It is BLACK. The pieces of wood are crisp and clean. I held them against pear wood and the contrast is powerful. I highly recommend Sergey to anyone looking for quality timber. He is also a gentleman, answering any and all of my questions in a very timely manner. Five weeks from Russia to Canada at Christmas time for delivery was also rather good I would say.
John
John