Lega Ivory Figure

David · 26th June 2023, 06:59 PM

It's certainly a very interesting item, but are you sure it is ivory. I don't have it in hand, but i don't see any Schreger Lines which would be present if this was elephant ivory. Doesn't appear to be hippo ivory. I would image those would be the two most common ivory sources for an artifact from this area.
I have read that these figures can be bone sometimes as well as ivory, so it being bone would not make it less authentic. As you have discovered already, these are rather powerful objects for an very elite group of people initiated into secret societies within their tribal structure. If you hold onto this you should keep that in mind. I think it is something you don't have to be particularly superstitious to acknowledge. I do wonder how important objects like this ever end up in auctions.

26th June 2023, 06:59 PM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,209	It's certainly a very interesting item, but are you sure it is ivory. I don't have it in hand, but i don't see any Schreger Lines which would be present if this was elephant ivory. Doesn't appear to be hippo ivory. I would image those would be the two most common ivory sources for an artifact from this area. I have read that these figures can be bone sometimes as well as ivory, so it being bone would not make it less authentic. As you have discovered already, these are rather powerful objects for an very elite group of people initiated into secret societies within their tribal structure. If you hold onto this you should keep that in mind. I think it is something you don't have to be particularly superstitious to acknowledge. I do wonder how important objects like this ever end up in auctions.