Carved wooden bird figure - what kind of wood?

I bought this piece at the estate sale of a military family who traveled the world & had pieces from all over. I think this is likely a souvenir piece from somewhere, but have no idea as to where or what type of wood it might be made from.

It is 2 3/8" to the top of the head & is 4 5/8" from beak to tail. Note that the legs are pieces of metal. The eyes are actually just a circle of white paint. When I first picked it up I thought it might be a small speck of white something inserted into the wood.



Thanks for any & all advice or opinions!!!

Peggy

 

Here are quite a few that look similar...

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/carved-wooden-dolphin

Yours is so small, though... maybe it was one of the "baby birds" that accompanied a "parent"...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291687560497?item=291687560497&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true

I'm still looking. I like it!

 

Could it be carved from horn instead of wood?

 

I like yours too!!!! It's adorable!!!!

 

It doesn't look much like wood to me either, quirkygirl. Horn seems a good guess, I was thinking stone or petrified wood (which would be really difficult to carve). It looks machine carved and somewhat newish to me.

 

I actually have a second one that is is similar but has minute differences. For example the tail & body are slightly wider & the base is slightly bigger. So that is why I was leaning towards being hand carved.

Would horn look like the bottom of this piece?

They are sweet little pieces, but I think they would sell better if I could pin point the material.

Thanks to all for your input & suggestions.

Peggy

 

The bottom looks like stone to me. The "auction number" seems something created (grease pencil?) to sell the item, I've seen this on too many Asian pieces lately. I think it was hand carved using a dremel type tool. It looks similar to the stone pieces shown on that auction site Spring showed a link to - please take a look.

 

Might look at 'ironwood'...

~Cheryl

 

There were some iron wood candidates in those links above...

 

With the graining I see on the back and bottom, I'm definitely thinking wood....just not sure what kind....

 

? obsidian striations

 

If I had it in hand I could tell; but in the photos, the grain could be horn; could be stone; could be ironwood or even ebony.

 

I'm seeing horn.

 

Does it seem heavy for its size? Could it be ironwood?

 

duplicate post

 

This is supposedly ironwood...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291687...&rmvSB=true&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true

 

Does it seem heavy for its size? Could it be ironwood?

It weighs 3.1 ounces all by itself. I was going to say no to your question, but when I picked it up again I was surprised at the weight. It is such a small piece you would think it would be barely 1 to 1 1/2 ounces.

Peggy