please any info will help

[sherrilynn]

I have looked every place I can think of to find info on this. My father-in-law gave it to me. Some one he did some work for years and years ago gave it to him. we know nothing about it, and I can't find any info on it, anything would be helpful, thanks..Sherri

[greenacres]

The photos aren't that clear. Put them in a lighter background. It's hard to tell what we are looking at. Is that a horn or tooth of some kind on the bottom?

[Ipcress]

Looks like a tiger's tooth with a white metal mount beneath an ivory or ox resin carved figure

Lucky charm of sorts

[sherrilynn]

i'll try that, I've been trying to get a good pic of it, and it is a tooth that is carved on the top

[sherrilynn]

I thought that might be what it was used for to.. but the metal looks to be a bronze color, I had guessed either copper or brass. it is tarnished, but I didn't want to do anything to it till I found out more about it.

[fancypants]

What you have there is a talisman , with the intent of making the wearer invulnerable , made from a tigers' tooth .
Country of origin quite possibly Thailand .
Very popular with some 'religious' sects , with the most valuable of these signed & carved by a monk who had survived in the jungles of Thailand .

Thai gangsters (still today) would/do kill bearers of these (genuine) items , in order to own the item themselves .

There's many 'imatations/replicas' manufactured today , which do hold some value , but not so much as the signed items !

I'll leave it to you to search for a signature (& do some easy research on the monk & his story) , as I can't really see one on yours , sherrilynn !

[sherrilynn]

Thank you very much..all I had known about it before was that a really old attorney here kept it in his desk..I will research the monk story. however the only markings I see on mine are some strange scratches on the back, can't really make them out tho. I'll put on stronger glasses and take it out into the sun. and again thank you everyone for your very fast replies.

[fancypants]

Those 'strange scratches' on the back of the tooth may be the sig !
You can use a soft graphite pencil to sorta 'rub' the scratches & help to see &/or photograph them .

[frogpatch]

Amazing answer Fancypants. That is the reason why we are here.

[mart]

Not my area but very interesting !!  Thanks Fancypants !!

[sherrilynn]

i've been reading up on the monks that made these, and I used a pencil and took it out in the sun to look at it. There are markings on the back, I can't get a good pic of them with my phone tho, and I think my daughter borrowed my camera. After really looking at it tho I am wondering if the bronze/copper setting it's in was made and added it later it will slip off with no damage to either the tooth or the setting. I plan on doing more research on it, and if it does turn out to be the real thing I hope I can find a Thai buddhist because I'm sure that they would have more appreciation for it than I do. I just thought it was a cool piece and I make kind of funky jewelry sometimes so my father-in-law thought I might want it. It has been setting in a drawer at my house for a few years now. Thank you very much Fancypants!!

[greenacres]

Neat item. That's very kind of you. Thanks for the education, Fancypants!

[fancypants]

You're quite welcome , sherrilynn (& thanks right back atcha to those who said so too !) .

You may have discovered by now that many of these talismans/amulets were made by monks during their lifetimes , and also may have learned that , along with a sig from the monk , they sometimes are inscribed with prayers ... not all of them are signed or have prayers inscribed upon them (those with sigs & many prayers , the old ones , that is , have more value to prospective buyers/owners) .
Some have (perhaps missing from yours ?) a 'horn-shaped' metal piece connected/fitted to the tooth , with a special prayer , on cloth , concealed within it .

I have one from Luang Phor Parn , of Wat Bang Hia (the original ones) , given as a gift from an estate .

[sherrilynn]

I have learned alot.. and if you have a pic of yours I would love to see it.

[greenacres]

Sure thing. I'll have to find one that hasn't been posted.