Hey, guess what happens when an ivory scaled W&B meets a tile floor?
Answer: Both a scale and my heart breaks!:(
Any recommendations on who can replace scale for less than king's ransom?
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Hey, guess what happens when an ivory scaled W&B meets a tile floor?
Answer: Both a scale and my heart breaks!:(
Any recommendations on who can replace scale for less than king's ransom?
Robert Williams works ivory scales
I can imagine the pain... Was it one of the vintage thin scales or the "modern" thicker ones?
Good luck
Ivo
I can tell you where NOT to buy Ivory scales!
(...I still can't believe that eBay guy LIED to me!.....I got 'boned'!...)
-whatever
-Lou
I'm no good with razors and dates. It's a Wade & Butcher, engraved "extra hollow ground". My guess was 80-100 yr old. Scales are thinner than a dime.
Thanks for the Robert lead.
I was thinking about old piano keys as stock.:roflmao
My understanding is that the thinner scales are more modern, while the thicker ivory scales are older, as there wasn't such a premium on it, and it was easier to come by.
Whatever you do, do not buy any ivory from out of country (unless you can get two cites permits) they will be seized...don't ask how I know that :cry:
Sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Chandler
And I just spoke from my experience - the "modern" Dovo, Maestro, and Robert Williams ivory scales I have seen are thicker than what I have on all my vintages from various brands (Helje, J Rodgers, Smith & Hawksley, etc.)
Cheers
Ivo
Not that I've seen. All my ivory scaled razors have the thin scales, even the old Mappin & Webbs (which were really high-end razors at the time).Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Chandler
I'm also not sure about the ivory premium - yes there was more of it back then, but there was also a lot more demand for it than there is today. And there's a fair amount of mammoth and walrus ivory running around nowadays as well.
Perhaps I was mistaken. The few ivory handled ones I've had have all been thin, except for a couple really old ones, which were much thicker. Must've just been that maker.
If your looking for Elephant Ivory forget it. The only way is to contact Ivory carvers and see if there are any mythical stories about someone who has a tusk portion aquired preban and then try and locate that person. That's what matt did when he produced those three ivory handled Shaving Brushes. I don't think you'll find any Ivory Piano keys around. You'll have a better chance finding old Ivory billard balls but they are too small for scales. Most Ivory carvers these days work in mammoth Ivory or Walrus Ivory. You can locate the stuff in the orient but it will be seized if Customs opens it. You can contact sellers in South Africa, that's the only legal source when they cull the heards every few years and you'll need a mountain of paperwork to get it through Customs and it will be held up for weeks or months until they verify the paperwork. Many countries don't allow the stuff period but the U.S does with the right paperwork.
My Little Cutie from Matt was supposedly from controlled walrus supply in Canada, iirc what he told me. I should have ordered another bigger one - we started talking about it but didn't follow up...
Cheers
Ivo
Interesting thread- I've been thinking sometime in the future a scrimshawed ivory scale set would be nice....
Forget piano keys, even if you can find them they are only ivory laminates not think enough for scales. I have a piano with ivory keys in my living room from the early 20's (we think), Ludwig and sons.
From what I have seen in scrimshawing sites and suppliers mammoth ivory is around and plausible, well documented just expensive.
They might be - vintage scales are *really* thin.Quote:
Originally Posted by Justme-
Michael, Justme -
you guys are killing me!
Back home we still have a couple of nice pianos - antique Ludwig is one of them. The sound is amazing. The heavy wood is also heavily decorated, very high quality woodwork, beautiful. And to think one might decide to strip the keys... When we were moving, we had too many pianos and my father actually gave one as a gift to a friend, for which he got lots of heat from the family
I hate to think what will happen if he or my mother understood what you guys are proposing (and I don't approve either) :eek:
Cheers
Ivo
OK guys.
Thanks for the feedback on repairs to my ivory scaled Wade & Butcher.
My piano key thought is to check with my tuner who may have some old keys in his stock. I'd swear even the veneer would be thicker than the broken scale.
I have, however, found a US-based source for 'legal' tusks.
www.coastivory.com
I have an enquiry outstanding regarding scale sized, 1/8" elephant ivory slabs.
With an e-bay overbid sunk cost, it may not be worth it to throw much more cash at a worn spine, yet good shaving razor (although I did see a really nice block of Gabon Ebony at the local woodshop...).
I will post again when I get a price from Coast Ivory.
Regards,
-d
I have tried to use piano keys, but the problem is that only the high end pianos will have a finish on the underside of the keys.
This means that for medium to low-end pianos, the keys are completely dried out if the piano is old (and I don't think you'll dismantle a new piano for the keys) and they'll snap like a twig.
My impression was that they were completely useless as scale material, though I'll mail it for shipping cost to anyone who would like to have a go with it. :shrug:
I heard back from Ken at Coast Ivory. Due to....
a pair of 6"x1"x1/8" elephant ivory slabs are $300.
Bone never looked so good.
Thanks all for thread input.
-d
Drazz, try a bigger piece of ivory- probabily cheaper per scale ... several scrimshawe websites list ivory for much more reasonible than that.....
Izlat- interested in another Ludwig???
I hate to even contemplate the fate that awaits ours if I can;t find a good home for it. It's not pristene, and unfortunatly spent a few years some time ago in less than ideal conditions but it plays.
If I can't find a home I'll have some ivory's available.....
:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Justme-
I might be! And I live in Mass!
How about a Puma for a Ludwig.... :shrug:
:D
C utz
Our pianos are back home in Bulgaria. Here I only have an electronic - so I am very interested in a piano but I think I'll go for an old Steinway in good condition in the near future...
Thanks for the offer - and I guess you already have Chris to take on the Ludwig
Cheers
Ivo
WELL, maybe....Quote:
Originally Posted by izlat
It's somewhat of a large item to be making an executive decision on. I'll have to pass this one by the boss, I mean wife first.
Now, a razor on the other hand, I can sneak that by easy enough :D
We'll see.
C utz
:cry:
Nope. No Piano for me.......
:(
C utz