To be honest, the true Ebony pieces are more for bragging rights than anything else (I can say that with a clear conscience since my set happens to include Ebony pieces). I purchased the 4" Collector Series set and I absolutely LOVE it. I'll check around with some of my friends to see if one of them happens to own an ebonized set. If so, I'll try to post some comparison photos.
Here's a low-res photo of the Ebony King from my set:
If you send me your email address (message me), I'll email you the hi-res version which gives greater detail of the surface finish. From general handling, you can tell that the wood is VERY dense (Ebony is one of the few woods that will not float in water). It is shiny, but I wouldn't call it glossy. More like a satin shine which I personally find quite attractive. The heft and weighting of the pieces is wonderful.
Does anyone own both an ebonized as well as a genuine ebony set that they could take a picture of for comparison?
From what I can see, the genuine ebony appears to be slightly shinier or more polished. Has anyone used/seen both and has some comparison?
Let me know what you think:
Genuine Ebony: http://www.houseofstaunton.com/netwebpics/marshall-chess-set-30.jpg
Ebonized Boxwood: http://www.houseofstaunton.com/netwebpics/sb-prof-2.jpg
Thanks for the input.