Unknown statue

[Tintin]

Hello !
My name is Jorgen.
I’m glad to have found this website.
This seems like the right community to ask for help :-)
I live in Sweden and recently got this figure/statue from an older lady who is a friend of the family. She has been cleaning and clearing out her house for a longer period to make it more easy for her to live there a senior. As far as she could tell she bought this statue somewhere in southern Europe as an antique or decoration piece somewhere in the late sixties, possibly even a little earlier. She could not tell if it is ivory or some other bone material.
I’m not an expert at vintage/antique stuff myself – so I would be very happy I anyone could give a suggestion or answer to what this is, how old and from what region ? Is it a tourist decorative object or a real art item ?  Is it possible to estimate a market value - if there is any ?
I’ve have held ivory objects in my hand before – and I must say that the weight, colour and surface structure reminds me a lot of ivory.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. The statue stand about 25 cm/ 10 inches high.

[Ipcress]

Yes, it should be ivory. If so, it's an ivory okimono and beautifully made, too.

Can't zoom in on the pics though so posting them on this site would help. Here in the UK there is a law about selling something which is made of or uses ivory which was acquired after 1947. Many Okimono's are 19th century or early 20th. Looking at the design, this might be towards mid 20th ( 2nd or 3rd quarter ) and so could require a certificate to be sold at auction.

Would need to see close ups though to be definite.

[Tintin]

Hello !
Thanks very much for those details. It feels like I have som googling to do on those terms that You mentioned.
I will return later tonight with closeups. Which parts of the figure would be most useful to photograph in closeup for further details ?

Kind regards
Jorgen

[Ipcress]

Her face, one of the larger areas of her back. All in good natural light if possible, thanks

[mart]

Also one of the bottom of the wood base !!

[KC]

SHOULD BE ivory, but beware that they have made resin pieces!  Recommended ways to discern:

Antique Roadshow options:  Sight, Feel, Weight,
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/antiquesfyi/tips/damagedone/

NEEDLE TEST - BUT DO GENTLY IN AN INCONSPICUOUS PLACE!!!!!!  Sight & Smell
The hot pin test can help you determine the difference between plastic/synthetic, bone and ivory. Its best to perform this test on the bottom of the object. Heat a needle until it's extremely hot than touch it against the object you are testing. A hot needle can not penetrate real ivory like it will a plastic or resin. When you touch bone with a hot needle smell the area that you touched. It should have a very unique smell like burning hair. When you touch ivory with a hot needle you will smell something more like a burning teeth dentist office type smell. Passing this test is a pretty good indication that you have real ivory.

[Tintin]

Thank You guys for the swift and full responses. Please allow me to come back tomorrow night with the closeup-pictures. I found out during the day that I needed to stay in office somewhat longer, which made it impossible to get home in time to use daylight for the photos.

I will get back tomorrow- please be patient, I don't want to lose You initial attention for the subject.
I should also add regarding the height, this figurine with base plate is near exactly 20 cm tall (7,9 inches) - not 25 cm as I stated at first. Sorry for that.

Best Regards
Jorgen

[mart]

Don`t worry,, we will be here !!

[KC]

Yep...we don't wander too far!   

[Tintin]

Hello again, please pardon the delay.
First now I noticed that my first three pictures has appeared in much smaller format above than I intended to while downloading. I donīt know why this happened, but I will post them again here under - together with some additional close ups taken in daylight by my fiance. I expected the pictures would be sharper -so I'm a little disappointed, but maybe you guys can still use them for further examination. I'm very glad for any additional infos on possible age, the material and if possible the value.

Thanks in advance and take care

[Tintin]

and some more : 

[Tintin]

Now it appears that it is possible to zoom in on the pics by clicking on them twice. I hope some of the photos turn out useful.

[mart]

Yes that's usually what we do but your pics are not high enough resolution to see the grain of the statue !!  Ivory will have a very fine crosshatched look where as bone is mostly straight grain !!  It does appear carved in some places !! And in others I can see some straight grain but not well enough to tell if the crosshatching is present !!   Are you taking these pics with a phone ??

[Tintin]

Hi Mart ! Yes - those are made with an iphone. I'm honestly sorry that this method didnt work. But, being really interested about your opinion here, I will fire up my old
"real" digital camera (that is load batteries und make space on the memo card) for some better pictures.  I will post new ones tonight, this time with me as photographer. So any blame from here on will rest solely on me

Once again, thanks for your input and patience, I do really appreciate it.

[mart]

No problem at all !!  For an ordinary ID on an object,, your pics would be fine,,but determining ivory from bone, resin, and bone resin mixes requires a better higher resolution pic !! You can also make them slightly larger if possible,,try 1500 to 2000kb when you resize them !! Or somewhere in that area !!