This stain is a colonial maple with high gloss
polyurethane. The color variation in the photograph on the right is due to
the abundant natural lighting in the foreground. You can see the
reflection from the windows on the left of the photograph.
Here are two pictures that show the staining process.
One person applies it - in this case the person on the left. The
next person rubs it into the wood, and the third person wipes the stain
off with a cleaner towel.