Ivory or bone ?

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

I looked at two replacement substances for Ivory... Ivorine which was invented in 1899 thus too late for this..and Bakelite also a later invention... I have to say I think Ivory in this case... I cannot see the full stamps thus unable to say who the maker may be ...

Salaams Ibrahiim , the maker is Henry Wigful of Sheffield

[Helleri]

I don't think this is ivory. Some translucence along the edges of cracks, dings, and scratches causes ivory to typically show hotter coloration there (red and orange, not black as is shown here). I think the grain is also too strait (with no intersection) and uninterrupted. Have you done the rub test?

[VANDERNOTTE]

ivory indee

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by VANDERNOTTE

ivory indee

What is ivory indee please ?

[Berkley]

The regularly alternating dark and light lines are characteristic of the type of celluloid known as “French ivory”, first made in the 1860s and often found in knife handles.

(Shown is a knife with French ivory scales made by George Wostenholm of Sheffield).
Impossible to say what environmental or traumatic effects caused the longitudinal fracture. With as much certainty as possible from merely photographic evidence, I vote “not ivory”.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by Berkley

The regularly alternating dark and light lines are characteristic of the type of celluloid known as “French ivory”, first made in the 1860s and often found in knife handles.

(Shown is a knife with French ivory scales made by George Wostenholm of Sheffield).
Impossible to say what environmental or traumatic effects caused the longitudinal fracture. With as much certainty as possible from merely photographic evidence, I vote “not ivory”.

All very interesting but wouldnt celluloid melt when a hot needle is applied ?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Berkley

The regularly alternating dark and light lines are characteristic of the type of celluloid known as “French ivory”, first made in the 1860s and often found in knife handles.

(Shown is a knife with French ivory scales made by George Wostenholm of Sheffield).
Impossible to say what environmental or traumatic effects caused the longitudinal fracture. With as much certainty as possible from merely photographic evidence, I vote “not ivory”.

It appears to be French Ivory like your knife scales... thus I agree with you. As already pointed out this is the 1879 factory in Sheffield producing silver and sterling silver and silver plate, Ivory, Mother of Pearl and stag horn handled cutlery etc....see http://www.picturesheffield.com/fron...=2&action=zoom for a picture of the man himself...for research purposes.

I occasionally discover that sword makers were either cutlers before or after their sword making days were over...such as the great sword makers at Shotley Bridge who became cutlers.

[Hotspur]

A hot pin in bone smells like burning hair. A hot pin in ivory smells like burning cotton.

Celluloid and other early plastics go back to the third quarter of the 19th century. Ivorine...hmmm.,,,composites of ground scrap ivory and glue go back as far as well.

The Russian mastadon mined ivory of the earlier periods can fool you in some instances and has a somewhat different look than modern elephant. Especially if the mastadon stock was from the outer layers (imo).

Cheers

GC

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

What is ivory indee please ?

Think it was meant "indeed".

[VANDERNOTTE]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Think it was meant "indeed".

that is correct

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by VANDERNOTTE

that is correct

Ha ha , OK I understand now ... I thought it was some French technical term for an ivory like substance made in India !

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by Helleri

I don't think this is ivory. Some translucence along the edges of cracks, dings, and scratches causes ivory to typically show hotter coloration there (red and orange, not black as is shown here). I think the grain is also too strait (with no intersection) and uninterrupted. Have you done the rub test?

What is the rub test ?

[Bob A]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

What is the rub test ?

I vaguely recall that one can rub suspect ivory until it is warmed, then smell it; a camphor odor would indicate that it was a man-made imitation. I don't have a reference for this, my failing memory will have to serve.

[blue lander]

I think ivory's supposed to be cooler to the touch than plastic or bone, too. If you put the piece in a cold basement or cellar for awhile and then pick it up, it should feel cold like a piece of stone because of the higher mineral content.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by blue lander

I think ivory's supposed to be cooler to the touch than plastic or bone, too...

Yes, someone taught me that, once.