Ivory or bone ?

Hi all. Picked these up today thinking the smaller one was a netsuke ,but I cant figure out if they are bone or ivory. The smaller one is 1 in high,the other is 2 1/2. It was a bag full of camels,some pewter,some plastic,but these two were what caught my eye. Many thanks in advance.

 

Other pics....

 

Hi Johnny,
I first one is ivory. The second I am not sure since your camera focused on the small part.
greg

 

Thanks Greg ! Is this pic better ? (2nd one)

 

My gut-feeling is that they're both probably ivory.

 

Not probably !!! Certainly !
& the holes in the 1st camel.......Netsuke !

 

I didn't wanna say 'yes', because I didn't have them in my hands - the only way I'd ever be 100% certain, of course. But the signs I see on them would make me say that they are.

 

As an art dealer I've had 25+ years of looking at photo's , & having things in my hand.
Sure I can't be 100% sure of any pic, but I can at the same time be certain of what I'm seeing.
It's the experience that comes from handling objects......and looking at 1000's upon 1000's of photo's of the items I've handled.

Somethings I've never had in my hand, but only seen pictures of ......well those are the things that I know what I think they should be.....but can't say 100% ...until I've sniffed one or two of em !

 

As others have said, definitely Ivory. You can see the Schreger lines quite well.

 

Hi Johnny,
Sorry so long getting back to you. I feel very strongly that they are both ivory and the first one is a netsuke.
greg

 

The first isn't a functional netsuke, nor an old one. It might be modern ivory carved to look the part. There may be holes, but they're not right for their purpose. A cord with a knot on the end passes through a netsuke. It passes through a small hole and comes out through larger hole that then accommodates the knot.

Neither seems particularly well carved to me.

 

Neither is going to win any awards !

 

Many thanks for all the responses ! I don't nor have I ever thought them "high art" but they are fun,especially the little seated one. I like them for what they are,middling pieces of ivory.