Definitive Test for Rhino Horn Please

[asomotif]

It should burn in the same that your fingernail cuttings burn.

I have not yet requested this at the auctionhouse yet, but I assume they will have a problem with me setting their unsold item on fire

Personally I am not very fond of rhino, indeed because it is not always easy to recognize. But also I am more inpressed by craftmenship of the carver, wheter it is in rhino, buffalo, ivory or wood.
The pieces I have seen where complete horns decorated by the chinese, and on those pieces you can indeed easily see the grain/hair structure.

Willem

[Tim Simmons]

Willem, I agree wholeheartedly with you that the quality art and artistic expression does not depend on the intrinsic value put on the material it is made from. Market forces are not always influenced by subtleties. This can be to your advantage sometimes.

[katana]

A definitive test ....but unfortunately too expensive and slightly distructive.
It relies on DNA analysis, if it was practical you would not only know that your hilt is definately Rhino .....but also the species, the type of food it ate and the region where your 'horn hilt' roamed

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publicatio..._Forensics.cfm


Regards David

[spiral]

Great stuff katana!

Apparently all Rhino horn post 1945 is also recognisable by the microscopic radation isotopes of plutoniam & uranium that dont show up in the true pre.1945 vases & handles.{So it must be incoprated in the horn through foodstuffs rather than just existance.]

But Aldermston charge a few pennys to run such a test I suspect!

I presume its a true age test for anything organic from post 1945?

Spiral

[spiral]

I Agree Tim, Asomotif , Craftmanship is most important, but the qualities of rhino to take fine carving and stand without splitting for centurys leave buffalo , goat & cow fast behind,

Also of course its practical qualitys of grip & its historical significance in many cultures.

It becanme rare & valuable because it was great material. Not the other way round.

i guess the Chinese pharmascists must have goo tests, unless they can also just "see" it due to handling the real stuff.

I guess to some people Rhino horn is also a power motif? rather like Tiger teeth & human skulls?

But without doubt it is the soundest horn there is.

Spiral

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody,

Thank you all for your input. I hope I become the wiser for it.
The reason for my post is that lately, there have been many sellers claiming the handles on their edged weapons being rhino horn. In some cases, these sellers are online, providing (sometimes blurry) photos.(How one can tell from photos, I don't know).
Normally, it wouldn't bother me what the handle material was, as I'm more interested in the blade.
However, in a couple of cases, during price negotiations, the seller kept citing 'rhino horn' as the reason for the 'high' asking price. Needless to say, not being an expert on rhino horn, I had to break off the negotiations. (A shame not being able to get a blade that I want, just because of a bit of rhino horn )

Once again, thank you all.

[Tim Simmons]

This pic is from this site suggesting thier specimen is the last big Rhino horn even though this is really only a small one it has to be at least 1m.
http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/...2006_april.php

This site may explain why other colours are seen, the outer pats of a big horn may be more course and even lighter in colour?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1106144951.htm