How to Identify Ivory: Master Carver Brian Stockman's Expert Guide

Join us for an extraordinary journey into the world of ivory with the legendary master carver, Brian Stockman. With over four decades of expertise, Brian reveals the secrets of identifying various types of ivory, including elephant tusk, walrus tusk, walrus teeth, warthog tusk, whale's teeth, hippopotamus teeth, and elk teeth. Delve into the captivating artistry as he enlightens the audience on distinguishing genuine ivory from bone and even plastic replicas of whale's teeth.
One of the key features explored is Schreger lines, found in the cross-section of some ivory. Brian unravels the mystery, revealing which types of ivory possess these distinctive lines.
As we explore the captivating art of scrimshaw, Brian shares its rich history and spiritual significance. Discover how scrimshaw originated as a timeless expression of cultures, encapsulating the tales of sailors etched into the very essence of ivory. Experience the profound connection between the artist, the medium, and the art form, as each stroke carries a profound and spiritual narrative that resonates through generations.
Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to learn from a true master in the realm of ivory carving. Brian Stockman's expertise will captivate your imagination and deepen your appreciation for the beauty and allure of this intricate art form. Unveil the treasures of ivory as you embark on this mesmerizing journey of heritage and creativity through the lost arts and forgotten crafts! #IvoryCarving #Scrimshaw #SchregerLines
0:00 Introduction
0:17 Types of Ivory
0:20 African Elephant
0:35 Walrus
0:36 Whale
0:40 Hippopotamus
0:42 Warthog
0:52 Elephant Ivory
1:00 Schreger Lines
2:35 Fossilized Walrus Ivory
3:10 Walrus Ivory
3:34 Whale Ivory
4:19 Fake Ivory (Plastic)
5:40 Practicing Scrimshaw on Plastic
5:53 Whale's Tooth Tip
6:33 Baby Whale Tooth
6:52 Hippopotamus Tooth
7:32 Warthog Tusk
7:53 Warthog and Hippo Ivory Has Schreger Lines
8:00 Wooly Mammoth
9:08 Fossilized Walrus Ivory
9:29 Steps to Identifying Ivory
10:22 Walrus Teeth
10:42 Elk Teeth
11:40 Comparing Ivory to Bone
13:09 Spiritual Artform
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Stockman Original is your guide through the lost arts and the forgotten crafts. Brian Stockman is a master carver with more than 50 years of experience carving all mediums from wood, to stone, horn, bone, ivory, and ice. He has a particular speciality as a scrimshander (one who does scrimshaw), carrying on the ancient art popularized by New England whalers. Brian has spent a lifetime gathering knowledge of lost arts and forgotten crafts, all of which he shares with you.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Your first scrimshaw project: Scrimshawing a whale: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4utooSje8uXj7M

[@scottmcfarland2149]

Thank you for sharing your extensive wealth of knowledge and experience with us Brian. 🐾🙏🏻✌🏻

[@jackshinkle5464]

Great info as usual Amigo. Thanks

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thanks Jack, hope all is well out in your beautiful country!

[@davidwhiren817]

Bout time you posted again !!!

[@StockmanOriginal]

👍🏼

[@jsteelsadventureandvariety4545]

very interesting tutorial Brian👍 and a very respectable collection, enjoyed as always, and thanks for sharing🙂

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hey Janson, thank you. If l ever finish painting this sign I’ll get back to carving some of it up.

[@fouroakscrafts7240]

Very good overview on identifying this stuff.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thanks Four Oaks, we had hoped it would be handy.

[@MrTAT275]

Love your channel!

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thank you Vanguard, so happy to have you here.

[@davedelany2116]

Very interesting, you are a wealth of knowledge 😉

[@user-ui3vw7xu9y]

great info..thanks

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thank you Gunny, l hope that video helps folks sort things out.

[@Musrusticus-]

What a really interesting little film, thank you.

[@StockmanOriginal]

You are welcome Musrusticus, and thank you for watching.

[@ExpressionVessels]

Very interesting. Thank You 👍

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thanks for tuning in ExpressionVessels, we appreciate that.

[@ABACUStoPC]

Interesting video thanks for sharing. Ivory is probably the most beautiful crafting material on earth, beautiful warm/creamy color, dense elegant texture, those characteristics you just don't see on bones

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thanks Kev, I agree it’s definitely my favorite material to work with.

[@Yornick]

Nice video, as always! :D And the only ivory thing I have is a decorative ring on one of my pipes - just little white rectangular pieces. They say it's from a woolly mammoth, but even if it's some cheap plastic, the pipe is still great. :D

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thank you Yornick, I appreciate you checking in on us. I would love to see your pipe, l’m sure if they say it’s mammoth, it probably is.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thanks for watching! Questions? Leave a comment ⬇

[@kilroy7888]

Would you consider bulls horn a type of Ivorie?

[@bz4383]

I got a very important information from you. Ivory unlike plastic will not be warm very fast in your hand! Thats amazing dear sir. God bless you

[@StockmanOriginal]

So happy to help. Plant ivory comes from tagua nut from Brazil. It lacks the Schrager lines of elephant ivory. Beautiful things have been carved from that. There are many things to carve in this world.

[@garoudiaz]

very interesting and informative video, not to be scammed and very nice bone cane, I hope you are well!

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thank you Garou, we sure appreciate you checking in on us. We are all doing well just wicked busy. I’m hoping to fix that cane up with a new topper someday.

[@edwinmiranda8174]

Excellent

[@StockmanOriginal]

❤️

[@kilroy7888]

Kilroy was here (finally got back to watching your videos!)

[@StockmanOriginal]

Welcome back Kilroy, we were wondering where you got off to!

[@kilroy7888]

Like I said before it’s a long story

[@57WillysCJ]

Thanks for the info. If I remember correctly, bone was considered cheap for knife scales much like plastic is thought of today. Although I am not sure plastic will be as popular 200 years from now as bone is today.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello 57 WillysCJ, thanks for joining us here. I think you’re right about the bone.

[@bz4383]

I wish if you also post a video about plants ivory which they got it from a walnut. And hiw to distiguish between real elepehant ivory and plants ivory

[@StockmanOriginal]

❤️

[@edwinmiranda8174]

I would like to know if U have a website not only to see all ur products rather to buy ??? Please let me know

[@StockmanOriginal]

@edwinmiranda8174 I do have a few items listed at www.etsy.com/shop/stockmanoriginal. I also accept commissions for custom work if you want to let me know what you're interested in having done. You can contact me through Etsy or on Facebook Messenger facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074069651357

[@Obersturmbannfuhrer14Asperger]

Thanks for the solid info. I'm going to stay away from mammoth ivory i can't handle in person Very happy with the look and feel about giraffe bone. Hell even buffalo bone very affordable and clean looking, but definitely an organic material, not plastic. The imperfections in the giraffe, the grain and texture seemed precious as ivory

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hey Matt, good to meet you! I’ve never handled giraffe bone before, sounds interesting. I would like to get my hands on some ostrich bone for a flute. Pet stores are a great resource for bone and horn, l’ve gotten a lot of water buffalo horn from there, solid black material. Keep in touch.

[@the.redtent]

Ive just been gifted a sizeable whale tooth a friend of mine bought at a car boot sale for £5! Its definitely real and large... A bit bigger than yours though chipped at the end... Ive done a bit of scrimshaw and he gave it to me for that end but im so reluctant... its such a majestic item in its own right, I dont want to erase its story by sanding all the grooves flat etc ... At the very least i would need to practice for a loooong time to be worthy Anyway very generous gift! Must be worth hundreds of pounds! Thanks for your video, super educational.

[@StockmanOriginal]

The Red Tent, thank you for checking us out, we’re very happy to have you with us. That is a very generous gift indeed. You sound like me in your regards to it. The tooth by itself is wonderful enough. My general rule is if I have only one of a special thing I save it as is, but if I have two then it’s game on.😁

[@user-qx8sy8qw5m]

Ty

[@StockmanOriginal]

You are more than welcome, you are part of the tribe!

[@kieroncraig3594]

grabbed of box of interesting items after my Great Uncle's passing. He spent 30 years living in Africa in the mid-late 20th century amongst the items were two interesting pieces, one is very clearly a tooth (very light and seems porous) but it is carved beautifully. it's about 25cm long too, so must've come from a large animal if it's real. the other, i am somewhat-confident is some kind of ivory tusk. it's carved/hollow with a caravan of elephants walking down it, about 50cm in length and rather curved. similar to the hippo tusk in this video. would be interesting to know if they were authentic. the fact he did travel around Africa is a good sign.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Kieron, thanks for checking out our channel. I would love to see your treasures, if you could send a picture to messenger or something like that might be able to help you. I’m pretty sure the caravan of elephants is carved from a small elephant tusk but I would have to see it to be sure. I do have a small elephant that is carved out of hippo tooth though. The other piece has me quite curious.

[@ronaldrappaport6197]

Thanks for you help , I have a head from a cane I’m trying to see what it’s made of , I’m thinking walrus, but I’m not sure

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Ronald, thank you so much for watching our channel. If you send me a picture on messenger I might be able to identify it for you.

[@sirilawson2557]

I have a whale tooth about the size of the one you showed. My dad had it made into a lamp for me when I was little, with my name and the Norwegian flag painted on it, and a shade made out of pig skin (he was the radio operator on a whaling factory, early 1950’s). I treasure that thing, and have it in a big shadow box on the wall, along with other mementos from my childhood.

[@StockmanOriginal]

That’s so cool to have a treasure like that and story behind it too, very lucky. Thank you for watching our channel and sharing your story.

[@sirilawson2557]

@@StockmanOriginalthank you so much! I never expected a response, because I knew this wasn’t a new video. Really appreciate that!

[@StockmanOriginal]

I try to keep up with things, really appreciate you being here.

[@rachelkoiks]

When I was like 2, idk I have memories from that age apparently but I don’t remember this one: I stuck into where the elephants were at the zoo and my moms standing there amongst the crowd (Because they were about to bring the elephants out so the zoo workers were talking to the small crowd that gathered in to listen.) And as the zoo lady was talking my mom saw behind her some kid walking up to the elephamt and thought, “Tskk who’s kid is that where are the fking parents?” until she realized it was me. Completely embarrassed and not wanting to expose that SHES the mom, she’s with the side of her mouth “psst! Rachel! Rachel!” doing that weird whisper shouting thing. 😂😂 After that she made me wear a child leash which back in the very early 90’s was one of those plastic coil things that went to a Velcro wrist strap on me. Now THAT I can remember from escaping from one time. I was a very good kid but absolutely terrible at age 2 maybe 3 for some reason even my memories during that time are odd it’s such infant thinking. But yeah it was just my mom and I at the fair by the food tent and she bumped into some lady she knew and they were talking. Well the friend was talking and my mom was doing this “Yeah.. yeah.. uh huh” thing she does when she doesn’t want to talk but doesn’t know how to be rude and just end it. HATED it growing up which is why I’m such a bitch. By the time I was a teenager I was like, “Why do you talk to people you don’t want to? Tell them to f off.” Idc if it’s not the Japanese thing to do, but god damn it I always told her don’t care about what other people think! She cared way too much where’s I don’t give a shit. ANYWAY, I’m looking all the way up at them like it’s Rugrats or something and I’m bored. I look down at my wrist at the child leash like .. ok. Defeated immediately I just look next to me and the pole holding up the tent gave me an idea. I held my wrist next to the pole and lo and behold they were the same size! I looked back up, “Yeah yeah.. yeah” looked back down at the strap and took it off. With my two little hands strapped the pole and ta-da. When it fit perfectly I thought: “There.” Looked up, “Mmm hmm… yeah.” And began my adventure! So I wandered checking out the food booths and got instantly bummed. Now what? I walked way past the the end of the food tent at this food place that always had cool signage and thought this is boring. I’m going back. I began to walk back and prob took two steps when she immediately ran up to me freaking tf out. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Oh my god. I must’ve grew out of it by the end of age 3 because I remember my thinking changed a lot. I even went to preschool for 2 years before kindergarten and I was extremely shy and quiet. All through elementary school I ever played with the other kids I rather have just watched. High school I couldn’t even order my own food in a restaurant I was so shy. So it’s kind of hard to think of myself as the escape artist that I was in my terrible twos.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Holy mackerel Rachel, l read that aloud to my wife and we were both in tears! Funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. I’m guessing it was the mention of elephant ivory that brought that up, but whatever it was l’m so glad you shared your story with us, THANK YOU!!

[@alexbreeze4978]

Personally I actually much prefer bone carving over ivory or teeth. The pores and darker tones give it an organic feel that I think will become more important as synthetic ivories become more common.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hey Alex, thanks for watching. I do love the look of bone as well,especially whale bone.

[@fprorock3545]

I found several hunch back whale vertebrae, baileen and a portion of rib, but it is so pourous that i dont feel i can carve anything out of it. I just use all as cool ancestral looking decour pieces. I have found, i think around 8 vertebrae and little other pieces. Im from Spain.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Thank you fprorock for checking out our channel. That’s a very cool treasure you have found! You’re right, most of that is too porous to do much with except as you said, very interesting decor.

[@mutyadiwata9444]

can i ask the ivory for pendant?mamoth

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Mutyadiwata. The pendant l am wearing is actually made from stone, slate in fact. I like carving slate.

[@brandonmckittrick2822]

Theres an antique store called Newfoundland antiques and he sells narwhal tusks. He ships to America with proper permits. The inuent people still hunt narwhal's so they were legally hunted and tagged. However they are expensive but he does payment plans. Ive purchased several whale bones from him and a 1 real sperm whale tooth. Hes a great antique vendor to deal with and I highly recommend him.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Brandon, thank you so much for watching our channel and thank you for that contact, l’ll check him out.

[@louispavila6637]

I want to get my hands on all of those ivory and carve, wish I could afford them lol

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Louis, l’m so happy you are part of our community!! Keep your eyes open in antique shops and such, you just never know when one will pop up.

[@louispavila6637]

Would be a blessing to receive ivory, but dang they're pretty spendy

[@rightpassage]

I live in Alaska. I find stuff on the beach alot. How do I tell the difference between a Mammoth, ivory/bone? Perhaps say a walrus ivory/bone. Or a whale or something? Some are tan/brown. Some are smooth white, & a variety of other stuff. Age would be nice to.🤔

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Rightpassage, we are so happy you found our channel, welcome to the tribe! It’s wicked cool that you get beach comb up in Alaska. I would love to join you sometime. The major difference between walrus and other types is the core. Walrus tusk usually has an outer layer about a half inch thick of very fine grain ivory surrounding a core of a marbled material that looks a bit like tapioca. Even the fossilized tusk will show this. Mammoth tusk quite often will delaminate in layers and will have a greater radius do to the larger size of the tusk. Mammoth also has Schrager lines like elephant, that’s a crosshatch pattern on the end grain. You might even find walrus teeth which are about the size of your fingers in diameter and one to two inches long, generally the top end will be worn at an angle. Bones are tough to explain without seeing them and age would be a guess without radiocarbon dating. Walrus could be anywhere from yesterday to thousands of years old. Mammoth-something like 10,000-50,000 years old. I would love to see your treasures. What part of Alaska do you live ( big state). I was stationed there in the Army. Anyway, happy hunting and l hope this was helpful.

[@karamvirsinghgill8340]

Can I buy something that made with elefant teeth

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Karamvir, thank you for checking out our channel. In regards to elephant ivory, we live in the USA and that material is heavily regulated if not prohibited so I don’t do anything with it.

[@churchether]

This is wonderful! I am from norway and antique sperm whale teeth are somewhat available here. I was thinking of buying one to make a pipe tamper. I want to cut/ shape/ dremel the tooth to get a round stick like tamper of about 10 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. Is this doable?

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Churchether Piper, it’s good to hear from you again. Yes, that can be done. You can cut the tooth with either a bandsaw if you have access to one or a handsaw, l would use a course toothed hacksaw. I have made tampers out of deer tines before, carved into little Gnomes.

[@kkluber1]

How much are elephant ivory balls worth? I have 3.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Kerry, thanks for checking us out! Are you talking Q-balls? Depending on there condition they seem to be running between 75 and 150 bucks, maybe more if you’re lucky.

[@kkluber1]

Thanks for responding so quickly. They are snooker balls ,a little bigger than standard pool balls. They are African ivory and are about 100 yrs. old.@@StockmanOriginal

[@christopherpezzano3637]

I just followed you right along with the tooth my buddy and I found doing construction. I have cold touch and root chamber is as wide as the tooth and tapers into it about 1.5 inches. Plus it's dark colored and bumpy for a lack of words. It has ships and a map of an island maybe. A ringed snake goes around half the island. Also an anchor with vector lines across it.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Wow Christopher, what a cool thing to find! Sure glad you found our channel as well. I would love to see your treasure sometime.

[@El_Vaquero_OG]

I have a narwhal tusk about 8 feet long, was handed down from my great grandfather to my grandfather my mother then to me, story goes he took part on a research expedition to the arctic circle and i don't think i want to know how this heirloom was acquired 😂

[@StockmanOriginal]

Wow Evan, that’s the coolest thing ever. I have worked on just about every kind of ivory there is except for Narwhal. Cherish it forever.

[@philipselman2564]

Say there sir is your necklace made from Turkey bone or Chicken bone

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Philip, thank you for checking out our channel. My necklace is made with coyote toe bones ( metacarpal)

[@philipselman2564]

@@StockmanOriginal well that's something I never thaught of or seen - great love what I see of your shop an may be glimpses of your home really super Brian look at all your vids over an over again

[@miguelruben6092]

Where can I buy a authentic sperm whale tooth for a necklace project??pls lmk🧐😳👀👀

[@StockmanOriginal]

That’s a tough one Miguel. I live in New England and occasionally l run into them in antique shops. It depends on where you live and the laws of the land l guess.

[@robertrhoades983]

Ya i bought two that were fake 300 dollar mistake.

[@StockmanOriginal]

Owch! That’s too bad, l’m curious as to where they were sold to you.

[@chowdarychinna5907]

I want elephant ivory scrab for making medicine

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hello Chowdarychinna, thank you so much for checking us out! We appreciate your support. If you keep your eyes open in antique shops you might find something. Look for piano keys, Q-balls, and table ware like butter knives.

[@davidwhiren817]

Bout time you posted again !!!

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hey David, we sure appreciate your support, thank you so much. Max and l wish we could do this full time but unfortunately we have to pay the bills too. Maybe someday the channel will grow to the point that we can.

[@davidwhiren817]

@@StockmanOriginal I'll be here !!!