Featured Chinese ivory carving

@lpan9

There are only 8 states which prohibit the sale of ivory.

 

You know my keris too well.

 

I don't know keris, but I know cats, & suspect it's the same: they find you.

 

Exactly.

 

Hi Ipan9,
Thanks for the interesting information about the bottom mark, and the dating.
Related with the fine, it is not a problem, because I want it for me. Anyway, I think that we are in a differents countries and the law, ore the way to proced with this material could be different.

Jal.

 

Hi Ipan9,
Thanks for the interesting information about the bottom mark, and the dating.
Related with the fine, it is not a problem, because I want it for me. Anyway, I think that we are in a differents countries and the law, ore the way to proced with this material could be different.

Jal.

 

If you want to sell at some time in the future, you can still sell it legally inside the EU, although some venues want to see proof of age. I don't know what legislation will be like in the future, though.

 

Thanks for this valuable info!!! I was thinking it were federal ban. I still have a couple of ivory items in collection.

 

You are welcome! I read my linked id site again, they said artificially imitated fake ivory have evenly sided and spaced grain while real ivory grain is randomly sized and spaced. Looked at your bottom photo again, it seems to be evenly spaced and sized grain, just my thought.

 

It is hard to get a certification for the age of ivory here in the USA, if you hire an appraiser to do that, you may pay more money for the appraiser than your ivory price.

 

hi Ipan,
I have another question, if the item is from the year 60-70's what's your opinion about the state of the paint? this item is not created to be touched, and the paint is very weared.

Thanks,
Jal.

 

The same here in the Netherlands, it is best to have several items appraised during one session. They will supply individual forms for each item.
There are some sites here through which you can sell privately in the EU without a cites statement.

 

I have taken a closer look at all the pictures again and again, my personal conclusion is
(1) this is a well carved real ivory Tang style figurine made in China. It has a good value. I agree with a previous dating of 1960s to 1970s by a member here.

(2) The age is determined by (a) The red seal on the bottom. The seal is 合格（qualified）。This is a commonly seen seal used by a quality assurance inspector in a state owned factory in People's Republic of China and P.R.C was born in 1949. (b) The color of the ivory is not yellow enough to be 100 years old at all. (c) the paint color still look very fresh. Paint over 100 years old often look dull.

（3）Talk about the peel-off paint, it is common to see paint on polished material (metal, glass, bone) to peel off after a decade, not to mention this ivory item is already 50 years old. Weathering cold and hot makes paint to expand and shrink more than the item material. Paint on steel bridges always feel of after years.

 

Hi Ipan,
your conclusion is very well made.

Thanks,
Jal.

 

yes, fine description of one's opinion.....well presented too.

I still think the paint had help coming off the item.....maybe to help it look older.

 

Ivory yellows when it is not exposed to light, when it comes into frequent contact with the skin, or when it is artificially aged.
I keep most of my ivory out to prevent yellowing. I even keep my antique ivory jewellery in transparent boxes for the same reason.

Detail of one of my Canton (Guangdong) ivory export fans, early 19th century:


Antique ivory netsuke by Tomokazu, even less (no) yellowing:

 

No one knows what type of ivory it is.I have 10,000+ year old mammoth ivory which is white as printer paper and hundred year old pump organ ivory keys which are very yellow.Many ivory carvers use a tea solution to give a piece a yellow tinge.

 

The angle of the Schreger lines corresponds with elephant ivory. Yes, a lot of ivory, especially Chinese, is artificially yellowed with tea. I prefer my tea in a cup.

Mammoth ivory is usually very white, but the Schreger line angles are different.
Dugong ivory is a warm, almost peach-like colour. Quite pretty.

 

@Any Jewelry

The Schreger line angles can over lap between elephant and mammoth,it is not a positive fail proof method. http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/articles/jaic32-03-003.html

 

Hi, good to learn! I always think Ivory yellows when exposed to light, right? Just want to make sure you didn't have typo.