Whether an item is made from ivory or bone makes a huge difference in its value, and also the way you need to clean and take care of it. From the owner: “Hello, not sure what I have here, as it is somewhat similar to the Turnage Place Mississippi repros. This group is devoted to the creation and collecting of scrimshaw. This art form is called scrimshaw. There are ways of telling fake ivory from real ivory just by performing a few tests. There are some clear cut ways to tell if an item is made of bone or ivory. A real crack in genuine ivory is sharp and has depth. by Although scrimshaw encompasses all decorated pieces of marine mammal bone and ivory, most people associate the term most closely with the teeth of sperm whales. Scrimshaw Collectors Guild has 1,215 members. Since real ivory whale teeth and scrimshaws can be extremely valuable, there are many fakes on the market. Life on a whaling vessel was often quite monotonous. I thank Richard Hanover for this picture and the information. Antique Scrimshaw: inventory consists of (19th century/period): antique scrimshaw, antique sperm whale teeth, vintage scrimshaw work on antique sperm whale teeth, antique scrimshaw work on antique walrus tusks. NO TEXT. I read what you wrote about how to tell if an etching is real. On a brand-new episode of "Antiques Roadshow" Monday, a Fred Myrick scrimshaw tooth got a price tag Scrimshaw refers to any engraved or carved piece of ivory or bone. It can be very difficult to tell real ivory from synthetic or fake ivory. Jeanenne Bell, owner of Jewelry Box Antiques in Kansas City, Missouri, agrees that it's best to use non-invasive tests. Many of these items came from my private collection which have been collected/purchased over … But others have supported origins for the word that range from America to China. Developed by sailers over 200 years ago during the New England whaling days, the first scrimshaw was created on Sperm whale teeth. PLANTER Tooth, 9 inches (22.9 cm). If it smells like burnt hair, that is a good sign. One fake is shown above -- the top chip is easy to identify by the jerky scrimshaw lines which were made by a laser. One Way to Tell Real Ivory from Fake Jarod's Tip of the Day: If someone is selling you a piece of ivory or scrimshaw and you want to know if it is real, find a non-prominent part and scratch it a little with your finger. Because of this, it can be difficult to obtain authentic carvings, jewelry or other ivory pieces. Modern scrimshanders (those that carve or engrave scrimshaw) have necessarily expanded to include horn, ancient ivory and even plastics. The problem is that real ivory varies so much in color and grain. Mystery Artist # 26 is a scrimshaw on a whale tooth, either real or a very good reproduction. Scrimshaw is a word caught up in controversy. It is an artistic tradition that dates back several centuries and comprises a remarkably diverse … If you thought teeth were only worth a couple bucks from the tooth fairy, think again. Where could I find more information on how to tell if it is for sure an original? They are especially collectable when they are inscribed with designs. Juratone 122TH. This dirt is easily seen under the 7-10 power magnification provided by a powerful jeweler's loupe. Hands-on Test. how do you tell if something is real ivory? While other materials may lend themselves to scrimshaw, it is ivory that holds the most value to collectors and artists alike. answer #2. Recently some "ivory poker chips" have appeared that were recently scrimshawed -- made to look like antique ivory chips. Consequently, determining the value of scrimshaw or other carved items can be difficult. Have you tried simple doing a Google search on ‘how to identify real scrimshaw’? With old scrimshaw in particular, cracks are filled with "good dirt" as scrimshaw specialist Desmond Liddey refers to it. ivory. Fakeshaw: A Checklist of Plastic "Scrimshaw 17 PERRY, COMMODORE —see also LAWRENCE PLAIN TOOTH see BLANK TOOff1 (Blunt) —see BLANK TOOTH (Pointy) PLANTATION SCENE —see CoBAGE BOARD —see GREAT FLOOD —see OSIRICH EGG —See PADDLE STEAMER —see PLANThR —see WARING & COMPANY 78a. Real ivory whale teeth are very collectable. Scrimshaw, however, usually refers to the American art of carving or engraving whale teeth or bones. Many say it comes from an old English nautical slang expression meaning "to waste time." “How can you tell an etching is authentic? Having read that, I believe I have an original etching by Arthur Paunzen (Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony). Posted January 20, 2012 in Vintage Collectibles. Scrimshaw has even been done on the back of plastic dinner spoons, though these will probably never become "collectable." The importation of raw African elephant ivory to the United States has been illegal since 1989, and the trade of elephant ivory within the U.S. is heavily regulated. This is a great question but such a small niche that the chances of having a true expert respond is pretty slim.