Featured Double walrus pen holder, carved Ivory...........

Discussion in 'Tribal Art' started by komokwa, May 19, 2019.

  1. all_fakes

    all_fakes Well-Known Member

    I'd believe Mark London on this. They are walrus, not otters. Otters don't have tusks, short or otherwise.
    I'm not an ivory expert, but I've seen and own enough ivory walrus and otters to recognize these as walrus, and native-made, not sailor-made.
    No opinion on original use, but I suspect repurposed and not originally a pen-holder.
    It certainly is a cool piece!
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2019
    Any Jewelry, bluumz, Figtree3 and 7 others like this.
  2. cxgirl

    cxgirl Well-Known Member

    very cool piece komokwa:)
     
  3. Dawnno

    Dawnno Well-Known Member

    agree, because upon closer inspection, I thought the carving could be interpreted as low hanging whiskers of a sea lion, but there is a definite carved 'lip' upload_2019-5-20_13-30-37.png
    ... so tusk, not a whisker extending down. Whiskers obviously don't curve 'under' the lip. My bad.
     
    Christmasjoy, judy, all_fakes and 2 others like this.
  4. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    too bad the tusks are broken off....which is odd cuz u wouldn't expect all 4 to get damaged...being the ivory is tough...and they were not long to begin with...

    I can't see where any rope of leather would have been used in the holes...that taper downwards...and show no sign smoothing from wear..
     
  5. Dawnno

    Dawnno Well-Known Member

    maybe it's only a 'little' broken off, i.e., the thickness of the original ivory had to limit the length ... so maybe on the same plane as the flippers. so it would have sat flat anyway?
     
  6. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Beautiful piece Tomo.
    By the way-Anybody have any free,authenticated Taino pieces they want to give away ?
     
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