Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Anyone know anything about determining if ivory is genuine?

Found a little gem of a place ni NH, with lots of neat antiques/oddball stuff, and an elderly woman came in looking to consign her brooch. She said it's made of elephant ivory, and got is as a gift many years ago. I kind of took a liking to it. NO idea what to look for in ivory to determine what kind (ele as opposed to walrus etc), and authenticity. Any help appreciated. I have a coulpe of pics, if that helps.

TIA,

L

If you shoot an elephant, it's elephant ivory and is authentic. If you shoot a walrus.....



Beyond that, I can't help.

George

Heat up a needle and touch it, if it melts it ain't ivory.

I'm aware of the needle test, but that test won't confirm if it's not some kind of bone, or fossilized stone/bone/ivory, or what kind of critter it came from (if it did). Thanks for the input anyway.

George, I'm danmed glad you're there to help when I need technical assistance!

I've heard that 2 pieces of ivory with leathery looking stuff between them is from a PO'd elephant and a slow hunter.

L, here's something that might help you.


Ivory is actually the natural tooth of an animal. Teeth continue to grow throughout an animal's lifetime and as a result, they have a noticeable structure and "growth lines" (called Schreger lines), much like a tree's growth rings. Look at the piece carefully under a magnifying glass. Under a 10x magnifier, ivory will have visible striations or grain (called Schreger lines). These lines often show up as diamond shapes on the surface of polished ivory. Bone lacks striations and will appear more uniform across the surface but will show a circular pattern of dots on cut surfaces. These dots are the remnants of tiny vessels that supplied the once-living bone. Resins or plastics have a uniform surface, usually with no striations or dot patterns. However, some manufacturers are now introducing faux ivory with an attempt to reproduce these features.

When looking at a piece, check the bottom for the diamond or cross-hatch pattern typical of real ivory. Then check the sides of the piece for a slight wood-grain pattern. This slight wood-grain is typical of the vertical pattern found on real ivory. Next, check the feel. Real ivory should have a cool-to-the-touch or even a sort of greasy feeling in some cases. Resins or plastics may duplicate one or some of these features, but none duplicates them all.

Also, color often varies slightly (I emphasize slightly) throughout natural ivory from a creamy white to a creamy yellow-tan or a creamy, light yellow-brown, whereas bone and plastics are usually consistent in color throughout.

The next test involves using an inexpensive black light which you can find at most department or home improvement stores. Shine the black light on the piece. Ivory develops a beautiful natural patina with age which shows up as a yellow-brown overall color under normal lighting conditions. Under black light this patina will show up as a dull mottled yellow with an occasional spot of brilliant white where the original surface shows through from wear. Bone, and especially plastics, are often given a patina to simulate ivory�s natural look by soaking the piece in chemicals, manure, or even tea. These usually fluoresce a bright yellow under black light.

You can also take a Q-tip, dip it in alcohol and rub the piece in an inconspicuous area. If the patina comes off and colors the Q-tip, chances are good it's a paint or varnish or some other substance that was applied to give the impression of age.

Big help, brother. Thanks. I rad about the growth lines, but assume they can be faked. I seriously doubt this old lass was having the store--and me--on, but I guess it's possible. I thought the piece looked a bit too white for ivory, but then, they have carved entire tusks (Chinese) in a lcoal museum, and that tusk is very white. Here are a couple of pics, but they're crappy mobile ones. The piece definitely has them, even in the small beads.

Man, that's a nice piece, I can see why you would be skeptical about it being real ivory.

I would be very suspect of that unless it has been professionally cleaned, time for a good jeweler to look at it.

You and me both, Terry. I couldn't pull the trigger on it without knowing. I did come home with some other goodies, though. One is a bronze fat/oil burning lamp made in India around the turn of the century, in the shape of a bird. It's very neat. There was so much good, weird stuff in the shop, we can't wait to get back.














[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/birddown/2011-04-05_15-30-47_497.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/birddown/2011-04-05_15-30-11_976.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/birddown/2011-04-05_15-29-55_874.jpg[/img]

The circular pattern and "tit" in the middle make me think it came from an injection molding (plastic) machine.

For some reason, I like the look of that.

I did, too. The woman explained that her late hubby, a Navy man, had brought it home to her when stationed in SD some time in the late 40s. I think I'll go back, leave a deposit, and take it to a jeweller that knows something about it. Thanks for the input.

Now who wants to take a stab at telling me wth that critter is? It's made out of leather.

I have seen walrus ivory that guys have tried to pass off
as elephant ivory.

Peccary is a WAG.

Now who wants to take a stab at telling me wth that critter is? It's made out of leather.

Aardvark

tapir

Does it taste like ivory?

When I was a kid I learned how to tell the difference between ivory, dial and irish spring by taste.

*That's* the name of the critter that failed me. I was like, aardvark? Nay. Anteater? Nay? Sloth? Nay. Thanks, Rog'!

Will ya swear to that?