Good point, TVV. I wonder what will happen to those "mammal toothed" materials as well? Wonder if anyone here will buy a sword from China with a "white bone" handle?
BBJW: that's a good question, and I personally don't know the answer, beyond examining the piece with a magnifying glass or microscope to look for diagnostic structures.
Here's a website that discusses the issue. I doubt that eBay will post pictures of the, ahem, "white bone" handles in microscopic cross section to allow us to ID the material prior to purchasing it.
F