Jeff, sorry to hear of this, hopefully it will make some paddles for you.
My understanding as told to me by a wood dealer is that Macassar Ebony is one of those Ebony woods that are sometimes called Macassar due to the coloration and striping, and where it is found and harvested. Sometimes it is labeled as Macassar when in fact it isn't true Macassar. These different types of Ebonies are found in different parts of the world, and it is a limited resource, some varities of woods are on lists of threatened or endangered species. Some countries are no longer allowing exports of certain species, and unsrcupulous dealers, may get around export bans by calling it something other than it is, (or to get a better price). This deception may be passed on to the importer, who may not have actually seen the wood until it was shipped and received. The dealer may not even be aware he was a victim of deception, sometimes it is very difficult to know what you have until you begin cutting it up. Some trees are harvested and carried out on the backs of natives in certain regions for what we would consider a pittance, processed green and waxed adding to the difficulty of positively identifying it. As these woods become scarce, smaller trees are being cut as well.
I'm not defending the seller who sold you the wood, he may or may not have been aware himself of the true identity of the wood. I have bought different kinds of ebonies on e-bay,without major problems other than sometimes the wood being too green to use right away. I prefer if possible to buy from a dealer who knows what he has, has a moisture meter on hand, and I like to be able to hand pick it myself.
