The top 3 beauties of wood I have observed on forums are:

High Figure Grips
Wood Calber Grips
Cherokee Hills Grips

… and expect to pay for such beauty.

And I might add, even though SK Grips are known for their awesome Mammoth Ivory, they do put out some fine wood from time to time.

 

These are my top 3 also emeraldas Greg's grips and Sean's ugly grips also good

 

-Esmeralda has standard and slim grips available.
-Woodcaliber has some nice stuff.

We have a couple makers here on the forum too, look at the Gripmakers Showcase thread.

Hogue is okay too. I have some nice ones for a J Frame and couple of K Frames. If I couldn't find what I like I'd be inclined to use them.

 

This is from High Fiqure, some lower end stuff, @$150 +/-

 

Those are great looking grips!

 

My vote..........High Figure Grips (like the Ironwood). Not cheap but the best in C/S and Quality. 1 grip-1 artist/craftsman.

 

Wood Caliber Grips for 1911's. Altamont Grips for revolvers.
Click here

Click here also

My 1911 Wood Caliber grips.

My Altamont grips.

 

The wood grips on the black auto and the revolver are awesome!

 

Here’s Cherokee Hills

 

Depends on what you want. For checkered grips, you have a lot of latitude. The checkering will make the quality of the wood be sort of down played. The checkering pulls the eye away I think. Personal opinion only.

For smooth wood grips I go very high end. With true custom grips you can specify how much of the steel grip will be a reveal. It will also depend on the size of your hand/how you want the gun to fit your hand.

SK grips will only make smooth grips as far as I know. Great grips!

A quality grip maker will give you photos of the blanks to choose from. A mag well may or may not complicate things.

 

Here’s a GI Hellcat with a set of Cherokee Hills

 

I had these chittam burl ones made at L&S. They have some nice wood blanks you can choose from & made to your specs. LS Grips

 

Awesome! Those are executive grips.

 

Sean's Ugly Grips. Have seen Greg Derr use them on some of his builds. SHOP | My Site 1

 

Check out Herrett's.

 

https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-grips/1911/

I bought grips for a Ruger 22/45, so very much a 1911 handgrip shape and angle, and they're beautiful AND fit without a visible seam.

 

Great lookin' grips! There's no question you can get some meat on those panels.

 

Hogue has several beautiful exotic hardwood slabs. If ya like the classic original Colt 'double diamond' checkered slabs; Exotic Hardwood Grips - Government, Commander & Clones - 1911 - Handgun Grips - Hogue Products (hogueinc.com)

 

Hmmm, never knew about their 'palm swell' grip panels! 😲

Kinda look like ''Cokes" for a 1911! I think a par in Ebony would do nicely!

1911 Govt. Model: Checkered Hardwood Grip Panels with Palm Swells - Ebony (hogueinc.com)

 

Over the years, I’ve bought five or six sets of grips from Crystal at A Woman’s Touch Grips. She really does most of her advertising on Facebook (yeah I know, but i works for her). She does a lot With highly figured woods. She doesn’t do checkered grips, but does have some textured and also some inlays ( I gave a set of USMC insignia grips to a Marine friend who’s a gun writer). https://awtgrips.square.site/s/shop. You’ll find some examples of her grips on this site, but her best stuff is under A Woman’s Touch Grips on FB.

 

Wood Caliber and Cherokee Hills both let you pick your own wood from scales they have in stock. Wood Caliber will also let you pick the wood type instead of an individual pair of scales. They'll do grips with a few different checkering styles or smooth. Cherokee Hills doesn't offer checkering, but their stipled grips look really nice.

High Figure Grips and Wicked Grips are pricier, but they offer some really nicely figured wood. High Figure sells smooth grips and a few different checkering styles. Afaik Wicked only sells smooth grips, but they have some of the prettiest desert ironwood burl I've seen. Both only sell what they have listed on their web sights afaik.

I have some from all 4, and quality on all of them is outstanding. Wood Caliber is probably my favorite b/c I can order a set cut exactly the way I want it. I don't think you'd be disappointed with any of them. I'll edit this tomorrow to add some pictures.

 

I have 2 pairs of wood caliber grips very satisfied with them,great turn around time on an order.You can pick the actual scales and choose what checkering pattern you want.

 

Wood Caliber

 

These are Afzelia burl panels from Thailand. Cost about $80.00

 

This is one that is closer to being done. It will be blued. Grips are SK ironwood.

 

Chig's grips is mainly known for their SA Ruger grips, but Chad does make 1911 grips from time to time. Send him an email through www.chigsgrips.com and he'll send you photos of his available grip blanks. I don't think he does checkering (but ask) and I know he doesn't make grips for bobtails.

Here's the set he made for my Kimber. All of my other 1911s wear grips from Woodcaliber, and I've been really happy with them. The blanks from Chig's were just too good to pass up.

 

From Cherokee hills red pair he made from wood slabs i selected from Arizona iron wood

 

I got this set of grips from Fusion 1911 Pistol Grips
The grips are already made, you can choose from several pairs. These are Inkwood, a member of the Holly family.

 

High Figure Grips. His Ironwood can't be beat. Custom made to your particular gun. I have several.

 

Craig Spegal might be the best grip maker around but you’re gonna wait and pay a bunch.

They are always spectacular.

 

Bringing this one back - All the makers shown here make a fine product but I did not see my favorite maker John Culina , Culina LLC. While John specializes in S&W J, K, and N frame grips he also makes them for a 1911 and Colt Python. Choice of finishes from tung oil to high gloss; most of his grips are smooth with really nice wood checkering is available. The 1911 grips are std thickness with either a bevel base or square base for a mag well.

Here are some Culina 1911 grips I have or previously had.

Curly Myrtle - High Gloss

Claro Walnut with nice fiddleback and tung oil - these are currently on my SA Ronin.

Bastogne Walnut with satin finish

And; an amazing set of Hawaiian Koa - High Gloss