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Old 6th January 2021, 08:16 AM   #1
adrian
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Default Superimposed load Torador query

Hi I am curious as to what the small decorative panels covering the stock of this Torador are made of. About the only thing I can think of is dyed horn, I suspect it is not dyed ivory, but I have not seen this before.
Any help much appreciated.
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Old 6th January 2021, 09:11 AM   #2
kai
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Hello Adrian,

Bone, stag, or ivory are the most likely contenders.

It might well be ivory - search for panels exhibiting Schreger lines!

We need better (sharp) close-ups, especially of imperfect/damaged panels.

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Old 6th January 2021, 11:37 AM   #3
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Hi

IVORY for sure
You are rich now!
Could you post some photos of the whole gun?
And details of the pans, trigger or triggers and the muzzle?

Thanks
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Old 6th January 2021, 06:52 PM   #4
Battara
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Yes please post pics of the whole thing before anyone else posts replies.
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Old 6th January 2021, 09:16 PM   #5
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More close ups etc below. There is just the single trigger. It has one serpentine and the other is missing, the slot it operated from is evident.

It is in a large collection of antique Ethnographic arms, many of which are high quality, but the barrel etc on this gun is pretty ordinary.

Are you sure it is Ivory?
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Old 7th January 2021, 03:40 AM   #6
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It has an almost “ plastic” unifortmity.
I would do a hot needle test just to be sure.
The upper left corner in the second pic from the bottom seems to show some burnt areas.
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Old 7th January 2021, 04:29 AM   #7
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I've just tried a red hot wire, it doesn't melt the material on the gun, just leaves a tiny char dot. I applied the same wire to hard plastic (a tape measure case) & it melted straight in & raised smoked.

So the gun's material is not plastic.....
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Old 7th January 2021, 05:36 AM   #8
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oops double post
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Old 7th January 2021, 09:05 AM   #9
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It looks to be bone.
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Old 7th January 2021, 10:01 AM   #10
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Ok I have to explain why I think it's ivory.

All the Indian power flasks made that way, are made of ivory;

but most of them are decorative objects, not even with a hole to pour the powder.

Many Indian toradors made of mother-of-pearl are late 19th or early 20th and they are just decorative.

It's the reason why I think that this torador is made of ivory but just as a decorative item from 1900.

Sometimes they use old barrels, so I was intrigued to see more of this gun...


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Old 7th January 2021, 07:14 PM   #11
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This is certainly not ivory. But I don't think this is any kind of plastic. In my opinion, these are small plates of bone from a camel's leg. And yes, most likely the decor was made in the early 20th century.
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Old 7th January 2021, 10:44 PM   #12
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The material reminds me of a mirror frame we had from Morocco inlaid with.. camel bone.
No indications of ivory at all imho.
No schreger lines and the yellow colour would indicate a long storage in the dark in case of ivory, but even than ivory does not tend to become this yellow almost orange.

I go for the camel bone.
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Old 7th January 2021, 10:45 PM   #13
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Thank you everyone, I think camel bone is the most likely from the discussions so far. I googled 'dyed stabilised camel bone' and that does look the same on some images.
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Old 8th January 2021, 04:18 AM   #14
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Not ivory for sure. If it passed the hot wire test, it is going to be bone: camel, buffalo ( not cow, we are talking about India:-), horse. Even elephant or hippo.

I am now reading “Career of evil” by Robert Galbraith ( in reality J. K. Rowling of the Harry Potter fame), a third installment in a marvelous series. It starts with an amputated human leg. That will also do, in a macabre way.

Well, did it give you willies? :-)))
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