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Posted 1 year ago
bdeclee
(6 items)
My uncle brought this back from India as a souvenir during World War II. My mom had it in her china cabinet since I was a baby, and after my dad died I asked her if I could have it. I've always loved it for the detail in the carving, and we always thought of it as ivory but it could just as easily be bone. It is warm to the touch, though, which I'm told is a characteristic of ivory.
I'm sure this was carved as part of the souvenir trade, and I assume the pencil markings on the bottom refer to a date (obviously 1945).
Sadly one of the axles is broken, so one wheel is propped up in the photo. However, I have the broken axle piece still.
I'd love to hear from anyone else who recognizes this or can add any more information. Thanks!
Indian AntiquesDecorative antiques from India are as varied as the people who’ve called th…
AnimalsThe breadth of objects made in the shapes of animals is as wide as the anim…
I would bet on ivory as I don't see any of the small linear pits ususlly associated with most bone. Can't tell from the pictures, but you should be able to see a cross hatch pattern from some angles, typical of ivory. Krazy glue (from Walmart) works very well on ivory or bone, just don't glue your fingers together. It might be a two man job if you can't clamp, but the glue sets pretty fast.
Greetings jwendell222 and thanks for your comment. I do see that cross-hatch pattern. In addition, the material in this carving resembles very much the keys on my piano, which was made in 1927. So I'm pretty sure it is indeed ivory.
Thankfully, my husband is a luthier, and quite handy with the superglue. One day I'll ask him to fix this for me (as it's been broken since the 1960s).
Thanks again!