I've seen where some of the British stockers darkened figured maple until it was almost black and then brought out the figure somehow with it having a golden hue. Just incredibly beautiful. This was on percussion guns and not a cartridge arm.There is a dining table in the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah,Iowa that is made of figured hard maple and wonderfully carved and it is incredible how sharp the carving is and the wonderful glow of figured wood with some age on it. I believe it was done in the mid 20th century.I'll bet some of our gifted stock makers could make a maple stock that would please anyone with the knowledge of how to finish that is out there.