Another campilon

[Sajen]

Hello Dave,

nice one, very nice lamination on the blade. The handle have a very nice patina. What let you to be sure that it is narwhale ivory? Frankly said I've handled only one time old narwhale ivory and can't remember really how it has looked. Again, outstanding and unusual campy!

Regards,
Detlef

[VANDOO]

A BEAUTIFUL BLADE AND UNUSUAL HANDLE. NO DOUBT IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING STORY OF HOW NARWHALE IVORY AND A KAMPILLIAN CAME TOGETHER. A UNIQUE AND LIKELY ONE OF A KIND SWORD.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

A BEAUTIFUL BLADE AND UNUSUAL HANDLE. NO DOUBT IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING STORY OF HOW NARWHALE IVORY AND A KAMPILLIAN CAME TOGETHER. A UNIQUE AND LIKELY ONE OF A KIND SWORD.

Barry: I'm not surprised any more about anything I see on a moro sword. There was so much trade going on between different groups, that you just never know what you might see that would look out of place. Somehow I don't think this particular campilon would have been used by a moro after it was rehandled. Probably some other group nearby..........Dave.

[David]

Originally Posted by DaveS

Somehow I don't think this particular campilon would have been used by a moro after it was rehandled. Probably some other group nearby.

Just curious why you would say this. Why would such material not be acceptable by a Moro?

[T. Koch]

It's narwhal without a doubt, with some of the nicest age crack patterning I've seen - and I see a lot of it!

[T. Koch]

Oh yeah btw, you can't really make something like a sword hilt out of the base of the tusk - the walls here are thin and rather fragile. I think it's carved from the piece imediately distal of the end of the pulp cavity or possibly near it with. What is the diameter?


Cheers, Thor

[VANDOO]

I ALWAYS WANTED A NARWHALE TUSK BUT GAVE UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND BOUGHT A REPLICA MADE OF CAST RESIN. IT LOOKS GOOD AT A DISTANCE BUT NEVER WILL GAIN A PATINA OR BE THE REAL MAGICAL THING BUT IS THE BEST I CAN DO IN THIS LIFE.
IT IS 57 INCHES LONG AND 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AT THE BASE. I SUSPECT IT IS A LARGER SIZE AS THESE TUSKS GO BUT THERE ARE SOME LARGER ONES NO DOUBT. THIS WAS A REPLICA OF A REAL TUSK SO DOES GIVE SOME IDEA OF SIZE.
ONE THING THAT PUZZLES ME IS WHY WOULD ONE WANT TO REMOVE ALL THE RAISED SPIRAL TEXTURE OF THE NATURAL TUSK TO MAKE A SWORD HANDLE OR ANYTHING ELSE. THAT VERY UNIQUE SPIRAL TEXTURE IS WHAT SETS IT APART FROM ALL OTHER IVORY AND GIVES IT ITS BEAUTY.

A PICTURE OF A RARE NARWHALE SKULL WITH 2 TUSKS IT IS 8 FEET 11 INCHES LONG. THEY USUALLY ONLY HAVE ONE TUSK.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by T. Koch

Oh yeah btw, you can't really make something like a sword hilt out of the base of the tusk - the walls here are thin and rather fragile. I think it's carved from the piece imediately distal of the end of the pulp cavity or possibly near it with. What is the diameter?


Cheers, Thor

Thor: The tusk is slightly oval, 1 1/2 inches on the wide side, and a little over an inch on other side.........Dave.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by David

Just curious why you would say this. Why would such material not be acceptable by a Moro?

David: It's not that this stuff would not be acceptable to a Moro, it's just that, in my mind anyway that most would go with the form of a traditional handle. I think it's just human nature. Most people in any culture are going to go with what they are used to. Of course there always going to be exceptions though..........Dave.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Dave,

nice one, very nice lamination on the blade. The handle have a very nice patina. What let you to be sure that it is narwhale ivory? Frankly said I've handled only one time old narwhale ivory and can't remember really how it has looked. Again, outstanding and unusual campy!

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef: There is a man in San Francisco that works a lot in ivory, and when I should it to him he said it was from the very base of the narwal skull. That is the only part that would have the diameter for a decent sized handle after being carved down. But even he stated he couldn't be 100% sure on this one without removing the coin on the back end. Yes, this camp does have a nice standout pattern, better than some that I've owned.........Dave

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by DaveS

Hi Detlef: There is a man in San Francisco that works a lot in ivory, and when I should it to him he said it was from the very base of the narwal skull. That is the only part that would have the diameter for a decent sized handle after being carved down.

Hi Dave,

this was the reason why I have asked this question. Very rare material and seldom seen at ethnograhic weapons.

Regards,
Detlef

[kino]

Dave, this blade has a really nice contrast, was the blade etched with phosphoric acid?

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by kino

Dave, this blade has a really nice contrast, was the blade etched with phosphoric acid?

Albert: Yes. Phosphoric is pretty much all I use anymore unless the metal doesn't respond well. Then, as a very last resort, ferric chloride......Dave.