Featured Bone carving

So, I won a local auction that had a number of mystery boxes and this bone carving happened to be hiding in one.

8 in. / 20.32 cm tall
1.75 in. / 4.445 cm at widest

Top of a walking stick? In terms of era, it has a Nouveau period vibe to it, but that is purely a guess based on the flowing, curving plant structure.

Would appreciate any insight.

Another welcomed surprise was a Mason's tureen in Vista pink. See the following:

https://www.replacements.com/p/maso...heAz_-0xUgxGCAFpxKumViz-q-G0aRGBoCB8cQAvD_BwE

 

very interesting..looks like the head of a humerus. Are you sure it is bone and not some type of resin? Is the top frog attached compared to being carved from?

 

It's bone. I can see the bone texture on the cross-section at the opening and a couple pieces of fur stuck into it.

It is all carved from one piece. The toad on the top has not been affixed to the piece.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if that was the top of a walking stick, or designed as such.

 

parasol handle....most likely... at 8 inches long....


but......there are other things it could have been attached to.........

 

Love it. Nice find.

 

Thx, Komo. I would not have gone down that route.

 

Hey...welcome.....but I'm always open to other suggestions......

 

Just don't suggest it's a stick shift from a 454 Trans Am....cuz it ain't !!
Bawhahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The great grandfather of the person who's stuff I got in this auction was in the umbrella/parasol industry! I just found some patent information on a couple of machines, as well as a little journal dated 1904 with some notes on the business.

You may be onto something, Komo!

 

Komo for the win !?!

 

Likely !!!

They made parasols by the ton....& lots were fashionable art.....but lots of the handles 'were' art works.....and it seems they survived better than the broken parasols..

 

After a wind storm....the city trash cans are full of umbrellas that could not handle the climate ......but I've yet to see someone throw away a carved handle...or say...one topped with gold or silver !!!

 

Hi komokwa,
It's true. I have a Queen Victoria parasol handle somewhere in this mess. The silk rotted away years ago and the ribs got lost in a move but the handle is a keeper.
I always thought I would find a replacement for the parasol but old age got to me before the structure. My favorite niece wants the handle perhaps she will get it fixed before she gets old.
greg

 

I like the idea of repurposing them.....

 

I have a magnifying glass with a handle carved in 'natural material' that I bought as a gift for my late mother back in the 70s, but the handle almost certainly started out long before on a parasol.

 

Question: if you found out that was a human bone would you keep it?

 

I don't plan on keeping it, regardless. But, if it were found to be human, I'd certainly disclose it. I don't plan on doing too much digging into that.

There are a few pieces of short, tough, fur embedded in the hollow section. I'm thinking the fur landed inside during processing.

 

Well, if I needed a spare......sure !!