Thread: Pics of real Ivory handles?

The superb definitely looks like ivory to me, but there is always doubt with photos. I'd be surprised if it's not. I could be wrong, but I think ivory on a Wostenholm is rather unusual.

Yep, they're unusual but do exist. Yours looks like ivory to me.

The biggest "ah-ha" moment for me came from viewing pic #2 on post 28 of this thread: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-scales-3.html

You can really see the crosshatching on the end of the brush pictured there.

I looked at it a little bit ago with a good magnifier. At the end, where the pin is, the faint lines are not even wtih each other. On the right side they slant to the right and on the left side of the pin they slant to the left. Looks like at one point it would look like the letter "W" for lack of a better description. Also I notice that on plastic handles you can see the surface having kind of a molted look to it, not absolutely flat. These are smooth and flat.
I do have a black light (UV) but I don't know if that would tell me anything. Thin as they are, they are well conctructed plastic or pieces of Ivory.

And.... what about this razor at this link? Is it bone or Ivory you reckon? https://picasaweb.google.com/alanami...49806956700354

Looks like a Gottlieb Hammersfarr ? if I have the spelling right.

Originally Posted by Gibbs

And.... what about this razor at this link?

I am pretty certain those are bone handles. Bone is recognizable on having much coarser grain, and especially at the end of the scales one will see the "pitted" areas (of the larger pores) like in those scales.

After reading many of these posts I went and looked at this razor with a loop. The saw marks were very clear on the portion near the wedge. Also the grain was also obvious. I would think the saw marks are a good indicator. I had no idea these were Ivory until Dylan told me they were.

Damn you all! Now I want ivory razors more than anything!

...Are they particularly expensive?

Originally Posted by Shangas

...Are they particularly expensive?

In my experience, which is with vintage blades only, they are not. Very few will know what ivory is, and the sellers usually get it mixed up. Sellers with plastic scales will announce it as ivory, and sellers with ivory scales will announce it as plastic. People don't know. Like Utopian says, cracked scales are a sign. I have 2 razors with ivory scales, iirc, they were pretty much priced exactly like what would be expected for the age and wear, regardless of the scale material.
I don't think ivory scales were particularly rare tho. I vaguely recall having read somewhere that one of the larger sheffield razor firms employed 27 teams of ivory cutters in their hayday (they were working in teams of 2, as I understood it). Someone else remember reading this and could refresh my memory?
On the other hand, when it comes to customs with ivory, expect to pay the real price, which is rather far from cheap

Originally Posted by Shangas

Damn you all! Now I want ivory razors more than anything!

...Are they particularly expensive?

Depends on whether or not the seller (and potential competitive buyers) know it's ivory.

There are legal issues involved, but I don't know the details. I /think/ a person is not supposed to sell any items known to be ivory, but I could very well be wrong. I know that it isn't illegal to own ivory items so long as they pre-date the ivory ban, but selling/buying I'm not so sure on. Someone here likely knows.