Help needed...

[bigwull]

if ..its bone/resin....then its fingers crossed and hope for the best......

[mart]

Imagree with Bigwull on that !!  There are so many of those that there is little market for them !! But I  would double check with someone in your area that is familiar with Ivory !! Remember we are looking at less than quality pics so double check !!

[mariok54]

When you did the hot needle test, did you also take a smell of the smoke, that is normally a dead give away.

[padanova]

When you did the hot needle test, did you also take a smell of the smoke, that is normally a dead give away.

Yes, there was no smell at all...I has just come to my attention that this statue, along with another similar one, was purchased about 5 years ago on an well known auction in Sweden for quite some bit of money!? I'll follow Mart's advice and try to find someone to take it for appraisal although that will be a challenge cause ivory experts are pretty scarce here.

[mariok54]

As you know, man-made materials normally give off an unpleasant smell. Ivory can give off a very distinctive smell of burning hair, but because it is quite a hard material you may need to get your nostrils up close.  Years ago I had a piece and it took several attempts before I picked up that dentist drill smell (my olfactory gear isn't as keen as it used to be), I wanted to know whether it was ivory because if it was I didn't want to keep it (just a personal thing).

[KC]

Try and find out the details from that auction!!!!!  That should answer your questions!

[mart]

Also when you do the hot pin/needle test remember it needs to be almost red hot !! Some of the newer resin mixtures don`t melt as easily as others !!