chrish@videovax.tv.tek.com (Chris Hawes) (10/24/90)
I'm seeking info on how to distinguish the difference between carved and polished bone vs. carved and polished ivory. I have an antique that I have been told is worth 3X more if its ivory. The antique is a vintage Mah Jong game made in the 1920's. I took it to one biology teacher, but she said the polishing made it difficult for a non-expert to tell whether or not it was bone. I would especially be interested in any info regarding the economics in the 1920's which would have in- fluenced the use of bone vs. ivory. Obviously, the cost of ivory today is very high, but what is the cost of bone? And what type of bone would have been used at that time to make handcrafted items? Should I trust an antique dealer with this question? How difficult is it to tell the difference? Pursuing this has lead to revealed some interesting points such as walrus ivory is "legal" to sell only if it has been harvested and carved by an Eskimo. Thanks in advance, chris