Thread: ivory(bone) ID

Gentlemen,

I'm having this problem that you may be able to help with. I have this swedish razor with ivory (perhaps, though a bit unlikely bone) scales that I don't know what kind of animal produced them. The lines certainly don't look like the elephant ivory I've seen - they are quite a bit more irregular. It's hard to take decent pictures of such soft colors with a simple p&s camera, but here they are.
I don't think any better resolution would add anything.
And yes, it's really pretty - I love it with all the interesting patterns and patina.

Evening Ivan

Does this link help at all - http://www.uniclectica.com/conserva/ivory1.html

Those oval growth rings look like a good defining feature?

Also bone has pits - stick it under your leica and eliminate by looking for haversian pits - small pores.

http://www.asianartmall.com/refivory.htm This has good info too with pics.

cheers
Stephen

yeah it certainly doesn't look like bone - no haversian system whatsoever.
and i've never bien able to find schreger lines on these scales either.
the uniclectica points to sperm whale ivory, namely 'the yellow globules'. I don't know what scale these are on, but you can see from the pictures that's one thing it's certainly there.
being swedish razor i suspected some sort of a marine connection, so may be now i'll look for more detailed links on identifying whale ivory.
oh, and there's nothing more under the microscope - uniform milky stuff, at least at those magnifications.

CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, has this report on ivory and ivory substitute ID
http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/p...vory-guide.pdf

It seems a bit more detailed. Looking at other research you then get into spectrometers and DNA analysis which takes it out of most people leagues I assume. Also worth noting the legal implications of any such scales identified going from one country to another. Antique (over 100 years I believe in this instance) exemptions can be obtained but if an ivory piece, elephant for instance, was stopped by US fish and wildlife or British customs leaving or entering the country then the sender is liable to be prosecuted if no exemption is held. In my knowledge ignorance is no defence either. Apologies for dreary warning but it is a consideration and I have spent many 'happy' days filling in forms for endangered wildlife export/import and know what the system can be like. Just a thought.

Sorry - I realise this is heading a bit off topic but thought I would add what the official US Fish & Wildlife take is since I took it this far!

Antiques. Antiques, including scrimshaw,
can be imported into the United
States if accompanied by documentation
that shows the article is at least 100
years old and has not been repaired or
modified with any part of an endangered
or threatened species since December
28, 1973. If the antique contains any
species listed under the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), the shipment must be
accompanied by a Pre-Convention
Certificate.

cheers
Stephen