Yep, look at a lot of the stuff and you recognise it instinctively. I have around 200 ivory hilts, many of those are marine ivory, others are elephant. I have seen & handled many more than I own.
Somebody who is expert in the study of ivory can probably teach the rules of recognition, I cannot.
Its a bit like music:- you hear a piece of music you might be able to hum it, or whistle it, but unless you have been taught how to read music you will never whistle a tune from the way in which it is written. One thing is instinct, the other is taught knowledge.
Again like music:- sometimes you get it wrong.
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