Is it Ivory or Bone? (I’ll show you how to tell) by David Harper

Is it Ivory or Bone?
It’s very important to know the difference between the two - not only to be able to value an antique item, but to work out whether or not it’s legal to sell!
David Harper here. You might know me from BBC TV Bargain Hunt, Antiques Roadtrip and Flog It. I've handled ivory products for many years and have spoken on the subject, as an expert on BBC TV programmes like the above, but also news broadcasts, Radio 4 and The One Show
I’ll show you how to tell the difference between ivory and bone...watch this video and you’ll know within minutes how to do it. Please subscribe to get more free videos like this!
David Harper
David Harper is a BBC TV art and antiques presenter, artist, speaker and writer…get in touch
www.david-harper.uk
#ivory #ivorysales #antiquesroadtrip #antiques #ivoryantiques #sellingantiques #sellingivory #davidharper #bargainhunt #antiquesroadshow #sellingivoryinauction #flogit #chineseivory #japaneseivory

[@VondaInWonderland]

Thank you. A man at the Senior Center gave me a beaded necklace and bracelet. He didn't say anything about it except that it would look nice with my white shirt. Now I know that it is Ivory ❤🕊

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

My pleasure

[@Pearlgems2299]

I have a ivory bracelet more then 100 years ago thats from my family ages 😊

[@chazsmash2345]

Useful information thank you.....more please.❤

[@mayunidabagus7957]

Great information for Ivory and none and now we understand the different between Bone and Ivory anyway thanks for all

[@isamahdi9867]

Thanks so much, Sir... Great video for me.... I just learned the real difference clearly and I can memorize easily to differentiate between Ivory and Bone😊😮👍😊🙏🤗

[@mjremy2605]

Thank you, David! Now to tell the difference between ivory and plastic! I tried the hot pin, it did not melt. But the area was very hard to do as its a thin box and would be visible. Wish there was another way.

[@venice9438]

Very uselful video, thank you

[@Bikarose]

Really enjoy these instructional videos, David. This one was a giveaway though because of the curve in the elephant's tusk ... I suspected right away.

[@Decovoo]

Great instructional video of a subject that confuses many, thanks David.

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

Many thanks, much appreciated

[@mishmash6570]

nearly 10 years ago my parents took me and my sister to thailand, and we went to an elephant sanctuary where u can ride them and things.I got given a necklace with a carved elephant on it, and i basically wore that thing for 7 years straight. i doubted that it was real ivory since it was given to me by an old man that i met, but after watching this I'm starting to suspect that it is real ivory, except it's much more yellow. I just hope that the elephant that it was taken from was already passed.

[@vincentsong1355]

It is. Ivory turns yellow as it ages.

[@donna6193]

Vincent is very correct about the beautiful subtitles inherent in Ivory-it it turns a warm yellow. Wonderful you wore that Elephant amulet all those years (smile). I’m sure the gentleman imbued your carving with many good and kind thoughts. Good Karma, fren!!! 😊

[@mewilcox3653]

If they allow riding, it's not a real sanctuary. Thailand is notorious for animal exploitation, especially pretending to be sanctuaries.

[@FolksingerFitness]

Helpful, thanks.

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

My pleasure

[@donna6193]

Very nice video. Thanks 👍 I love Ivory!

[@hanibakerzughra143]

I have some antique African and Chinese ivory statues that I want to sell if you are interested. I will send you some pictures.

[@daibhiseaghdha153]

they look similar if you don't know the difference, but now we know, thanks, to you. nearly all the old cutlery, on sale says it has bone handle, when it is 99-9% celluloid, even old stuff.why they say some thing like that, I do not know.

[@davidjones6470]

Nice one Dave 👌

[@seana2646]

Great vid. Thanks David

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

Cheers Sean

[@ryanstewart3316]

Best way to tell is by what is called Schreger lines, it is lines that cross hatch, also ivory is usually heavier and also cold to the cheek. Cheers

[@minallalani3175]

Gert introduction thanks

[@virgilrobertsjr7870]

Thank You!

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

You're welcome!

[@callmeishmael3031]

Why didn't you show the Schreger lines on the elephant ivory? I would insist on seeing them before determining if that tusk is elephant ivory. To be honest, without a look at the end to see the lines, that tusk looks pretty suspect of being a polymer fake for various reasons. Temperature and weight would be indicators. Since it's the bottom of the tusk, you'd also get a good sense of whether it's ivory by the texture inside the cavity, as well as the smell. They are able to fake Schreger lines with polymer, too, so, as a last resort you can light a match and see if the material burns or melts. These days, since elephant ivory is banned, the more important question would be, is it elephant or mammoth, as people with stockpiles of elephant can disguise it as mammoth through coloration and accelerating ageing techniques. The way to tell the difference between elephant and mammoth is the angle made by the crossing of the Schreger lines. Elephant has a very wide angle around 115 degrees, while the angle of the cross-hatching of the lines of mammoth are inside of 90 degrees.

[@brendag5855]

Very helpful, thank you 🙏

[@frankpollicina4125]

I think you know more about ivory than the bloke doing the video, which I thought was pretty ordinary. Thanks, mate.

[@mikeriordan6940]

I would be confused , I know about the CITES agreement but I don't think I could tell the difference until you just showed

[@mjremy2605]

Asian ivory tends to have a pinkish tint that is absent in African ivory. In addition, the cross hatching grain marks (Schreger angles) in Asian ivory have sharper peaks, but are not as pronounced as those in African ivory and tend to zigzag. Both are illegal. Narwal tusks are ivory - absolutely illegal. Walrus tusks are illegal in most states. What remains legal is Vegetable Ivory from Tagua nuts. The male elephants with the large tusks, are poached and killed for ivory. There is no way to harvest the ivory without killing or maiming the elephant. This is an elephant incisor tooth and there is a nerve running down each tooth, so it would be like sawing off a good tooth in your mouth and the incredible pain from that. Makes it hard for the elephant to eat and live. You can harvest ivory from dead elephants but who is to tell whether poached or not. I think we can all agree that ivory is not worth having and that the magnificent elephant should not be reduced to a trinket on your shelf.

[@donna6193]

Sorry to disagree with you regarding the recycling of deceased elephant tusk. We must save out beautiful, kindred Elephants and in the same vein I think it an honorable thing to further uplift the Elephant by creating artist objects with their tusks. Humans, being at the “top of the food chain” was born to admire nd cherish lovely things, eh. Better than diamonds--is a beautifully crafted piece of Ivory. Knowing that it gets better looking and more valuable as it ages. A gift of the Spirit ❤

[@19gregske55]

I look for spiral striations on a medial plane or cut.

[@Adagiowellness]

Thank you for this video also what are the legal differences?

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

My pleasure. I mention Ivory laws in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYDFn5V6dst4j8k

[@nicoliivonov6946]

A 6'4 man with at least a dozen face tattoos gave me a ring made of bone with rats and a skull on it. He pulled it from his dreadlocks and im not sure what quest ive accidentally started but its not going well

[@nunyabidniz2079]

I have a carved, "the last supper" which is an off white, with a little yellow and brown, I can't figure out what it's carved from. This video, didn't apply to me, and the piece is 10 x 14, probably not ivory, unless it comes in larger sizes than I think. Is there someone I can email to ask? David, do you check your old videos for new messages?

[@seriousorganizer]

You forgot to add faux. How to tell the different between faux & real ivory.

[@taioparker51]

Hi I got something that ment to be ivory stamps on it

[@mikeray353]

How much does that tusk cost ballpark? Where can you find such items?

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

It’s literally worth nothing, as it’s illegal to sell !

[@mikeray353]

@@DavidHarperAntiquesTV I would think that makes it worth more. With Enron and FTX, think whomever is in charge should worry about other illegal acts occurring. Can it be bartered?

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

@@mikeray353 It cannot Mike, it’s absolutely illegal

[@mikeray353]

@DavidHarper2020 well, they will make great heirlooms in the future. Absolutely stunning. Hope to get my hands on one someday soon. Where there is a will...

[@teepeewabbit]

You make the bone sound disgusting, lol. I see a lot of those bone boxes in Canada and Australia, also bone inlay in jewellery, mostly from India I think. Is there any way to determine bone or ivory “species”, so to speak, i.e., type of animal? Thanks David

[@manifoldnook1]

David do you see much bleached bone in the UK? We see items here. I don't know if it's done to deceive or not?

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

Can’t say we do!

[@blackiesheep3997]

The box is camel bone and u can easily tell bc its made of many pieces not one.

[@oldluke7653]

What it is really yellow

[@user-qo6ci6vs5i]

I have something from this ivory and from the Roman era, how much is it

[@dridaza]

Hi there if I send you a photo of my ivory, can you tell if it is real?

[@raymondgirgis3292]

hi david im not sure if i have ivory or if it is fake or imitation is there away i can send you pictures t know

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

Hi Raymond, there are lots of plastic/resin fakes out there. If you look at it under a magnifying glass and you can see no grain, natural swirls in the colours and pattern of the material, it’ll be fake. Cheers, David

[@antiquesmore7083]

Is the ivory for sale ?

[@bostonmillner5419]

A Chinese statue An old man holding a dragon.If ivory is it worth money

[@TheVelvetLoungeLife]

Is there any further test than looking for black marks❓❓❓❓

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

The black dot and dashes in the bone and the grain in the ivory are the best. In time, you’ll be able to tell instinctively the difference within seconds of picking something up. Hope it helps. D

[@mistysingh]

Just by Visual or Physical Examination it can't be determined whether it is Ivory or Bone! Advanced Technologies of Artificially Treatment can do wonders deceptively.

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

It can

[@choppergirl]

Actually, waht we need is with piano keys.

[@harleyrohini1983]

hi david... iwant to know mine is ivory or bone.....can i send the pictures in ur mail..please clarify me ..............and please send your mail in reply

[@DavidHarperAntiquesTV]

Hi Harley, no need really. Just watch the video and look at your items using a magnifying glass following the instructions in the video, you’ll know very quickly

[@seriousorganizer]

@@DavidHarperAntiquesTV not everyone is an expert. You're forgetting about adding, plastics & resins in the mix.

[@rickysmyth]

Bone is porous is the word you're looking for. Ivory is not. It is one solid piece

[@kennethakin271]

I can make ivory it’s easy but it takes a long time, you can turn deer antlers into ivory it’s a simple but long process and it takes heat and mineralization and moisture.