Sourcing Fossilized Ivory

bobbywett

bobbywett

Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
1,231
Hi Folks,

I'm interested in finding out where makers are sourcing their Fossilized Ivory materials? In particular solid sections for hidden tang blades of varying lengths. It seems the prices for these materials have skyrocketed recently.

Any Help is greatly appreciated as always,

Thanks,

Bobby
 
So far most of mine has come from a tusk I bought at an antique show for $200. It was about a 3.5 pound tusk, of which about 2.8 was usable. I still have a couple of handle sized pieces and a few other chunks from that tusk.

I also have some other pieces that I bought at estate sales... a pen holder that would make an excellent pair of scales that I bought for $15.

I always have my eyes open for handle materials.
 
Luck of the draw I think. I was in Boston last week and saw a piece of tusk about 8" long in a jewellery store in Faneuil hall. I tried to buy it but the clerk didn't think it was for sale. If anyone is in the area, you should go try to talk them out of it, I didnt have the time. You will find the price goes up mostly in the winter as pieces get bought. Once the thaw hits and people in the north start looking, the prices will go down a bit.
 
Hi guy's here is my take on some things I have been selling fossil ivory for the last few years and my mentor Dan Westlind has been a major player in the fossil ivory trade for the last 15-20 years. There are a few reason you are seeing the price's go up. The biggest reason for fossil walruss is that where the dig the ivory in Alaska there have been lots of construction jobs up there that pay the natives very well much more then digging ivory would that and the few family's that do dig in the finding much less ivory for the time/gas spent looking for it. Just a few short years ago you could spend 15-20k on ivory in a day or two now you might be up there for a month or more trying to spend that money. As for the mammoth ivory the single biggest reason for the shortage is that Russia has completely stopped the export of ivory outside of the country without reason. And form what I have heard there are no plans to start export of ivory from Russia again. Also I have noticed in my travels to some of the village's in Alaska that I buy mammoth from is that the younger generations have no desire to get off there butt and go hunt ivory they would rather sit in front of the computer much like we are seeing with are youth here. I feel it won’t be long before the tradition to hunt ivory will be lost from many villages as the few that do still hunt ivory are getting up there in age and are slowing down with no one wanting to follow in there foot steps. These are just some of the reason I have observed over the last couple years there are many others but these are some of the bigest I belive. I hate to say it but ivory will be harder and harder to get and you will pay more for it that is for sure.
Trust me I hope I’m wrong as I love the ivory business but Im afraid I won’t be able to continue the ivory business I have built the last few years the way things are going.

Brett Mathews
Inherit Knife & Trade
503-806-3558
 
That explains a lot Brett...I hope your theories don't play out that way. Thanks to all who have replied thus far...!
 
All the above is good info.

Add to that, the fact that ebay banned all ivory, endangered, pre-ban, or not ( mammoths aren't an endangered species), including most fossil ivories. A few years back I could find a whole mammoth tusk for a couple grand, or a large fossil walrus tusk for $300. Now the prices are through the ceiling and the supply is way down.

Many will remember IJTrading, in Los Angeles, who supplied top grade Russian ivory at very affordable prices. He is gone now, due to the supply being cut off. ( I miss the model who held the tusks,too - Natasha, IIRC)
 
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