Identification of Indian or African ivory object.

TomHurstAntiques · 8th July 2019, 04:36 PM

This is 10.5cm tall and has a lot of age. I assume the holes are for looping through string. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TomHurstAntiques · 13th July 2019, 11:18 PM

Any Ideas?

M ELEY · 16th July 2019, 06:54 AM

A total guess. Could it possibly be an Inuit harpoon rest (inside the canoe?). The ivory walrus tusk?

Battara · 16th July 2019, 11:41 PM

The ivory looks like elephant ivory to me with the concentric rings in the middle, no marbling, and the cross hatching.

I would think that this is African.

Sajen · 18th July 2019, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

The ivory looks like elephant ivory to me with the concentric rings in the middle, no marbling, and the cross hatching.

I would think that this is African.

Or Asian?

Helleri · 28th September 2019, 11:43 AM

Given the oval shape, lengthwise ostrodentine voiding cracks that interupt the dentine and present as radial cracks in cross section, the small dots of cementum at the core, that appear to go all the way through. And the inferred dimensions of the piece (from the one given dimension)... I'm fairly confident that this is walrus tusk ivory.

However I do not believe this to be Inuit in origin as almost all inuit ivory implements I've seen have exposed dowel holes where dowel holes are present (they don't appear on the flat part that marries to another piece as shown here. But are the visible outside of a pieces surface).

Battara · 30th September 2019, 12:36 AM

I don’t see any marbling that I usually see with walrus tusk.......🤔

Battara · 30th September 2019, 12:37 AM

Asian elephant could be a possibility.

Philip · 2nd October 2019, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Asian elephant could be a possibility.

Definitely ellyfunt. The pattern of checking in the material suggests it strongly.
Whether Asian or African bears closer scrutiny. The way those age cracks run, we can rule out walrus.

Richard Furrer · 23rd October 2019, 05:11 PM

https://www.fws.gov/lab/ivory_natural.php
Not Walrus to be sure. As Philip said..telling Asian Elephant from African ...trickier.

Sajen · 23rd October 2019, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Furrer

As Philip said..telling Asian Elephant from African ...trickier.

I think this is nearly impossible! And it don't will shed light on the origin of the object. Many antique sculptured Asian ivory is from African elephants IMHO.

Rick · 25th October 2019, 01:09 AM

The architect Mies van de Rohe's quote "Less is more." may apply here.
It looks like it has been drilled to be strung on each side the same way netsuke are.
It's a lovely and powerful form in and of itself; possibly it was made to be worn.

8th July 2019, 04:36 PM	#1
TomHurstAntiques Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Dorset Posts: 38	Identification of Indian or African ivory object. This is 10.5cm tall and has a lot of age. I assume the holes are for looping through string. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Attached Images

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13th July 2019, 11:18 PM	#2
TomHurstAntiques Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Dorset Posts: 38	Any Ideas?

16th July 2019, 06:54 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,138	A total guess. Could it possibly be an Inuit harpoon rest (inside the canoe?). The ivory walrus tusk?

16th July 2019, 11:41 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,257	The ivory looks like elephant ivory to me with the concentric rings in the middle, no marbling, and the cross hatching. I would think that this is African.

28th September 2019, 11:43 AM	#6
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	Given the oval shape, lengthwise ostrodentine voiding cracks that interupt the dentine and present as radial cracks in cross section, the small dots of cementum at the core, that appear to go all the way through. And the inferred dimensions of the piece (from the one given dimension)... I'm fairly confident that this is walrus tusk ivory. However I do not believe this to be Inuit in origin as almost all inuit ivory implements I've seen have exposed dowel holes where dowel holes are present (they don't appear on the flat part that marries to another piece as shown here. But are the visible outside of a pieces surface).

30th September 2019, 12:36 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,257	I don’t see any marbling that I usually see with walrus tusk.......🤔

30th September 2019, 12:37 AM	#8
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,257	Asian elephant could be a possibility.

23rd October 2019, 05:11 PM	#10
Richard Furrer Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 163	https://www.fws.gov/lab/ivory_natural.php Not Walrus to be sure. As Philip said..telling Asian Elephant from African ...trickier.

25th October 2019, 01:09 AM	#12
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,325	The architect Mies van de Rohe's quote "Less is more." may apply here. It looks like it has been drilled to be strung on each side the same way netsuke are. It's a lovely and powerful form in and of itself; possibly it was made to be worn.