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Fri, Feb 3, 12 at 14:22
| This African sculpture passes the pin test for ivory - is it worth getting a professional appraisal ($)?
http://www.pbase.com/goatlips/african_ivory Thanks! Mike |
Here is a link that might be useful: African Ivory
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I know next to nothing about ivory.. But...it's real ivory you say....appears to be from an elephant as opposed to walrus or boar's tusk. Why do you want it appraised? To sell or for insurance or estate purposes? It appears quite nicely done....but unless there is something about it I don't recognize, I can't think it would be worth more than....say $600. Would it be worth it? suppose the appraiser said it were worth $1000? That worth it? would you believe him? I say do some home work on the web.....and make your own appraisal. Linda C |
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| Thanks Linda! I've been all over the web and nothing I've found is as detailed as my piece, and are priced from $40 to $2200. I got this from an antique dealer's estate (he went mad and I helped a relative move his stuff) Guess I'll keep looking. Thanks again, Mike |
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- Posted by palimpsest (My Page) on Sat, Feb 4, 12 at 14:54
| The test for real ivory vs. plastic is to heat a pin and touch it to the piece somewhere unobtrusive. If it smells like burning hair, it's tusk or horn and if it smells chemically, it's plastic. I think there are regulations about selling ivory that it has to be over a certain age. |
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| You're right Pal. But the Pin doesn't tell if it's walrus or boar tusk or even bone. I bought some bone beads once when I was out of the country. I had the shop be sure to write on the sales slip that they are bone not ivory. I have also been to auctions where the auctioneer says "looks like it could be ivory but we don't know"....and get off the hook. |
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