Featured Thoughts on this Chinese carving

I don't want to make any decisions on this until some others have had a chance to look at it.
It measures 5" tall, not including the wood base. 2 1/2" wide and about 1/2" thick. nicely carved and better than most but still on the fence about material.
Mikey

 

Really nice carving! Elephant tooth, it seems to me........

 

Thank you Kyra. You think it is?
Tooth or tusk .
Mikey

 

If it can be removed from the wooden base (and there is not glue obscuring it), the most diagnostic features should be visible on the bottom edge. If it is elephant ivory, as Kyra suggests, Schreger lines should be visible there. The detailed carving will make it difficult to find and see the distinctive lines on other surfaces. We have posted a series of sites that can help identify elephant ivory and similar materials here:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/ivory-references.69023/

 

I am not able to remove it from the base. It is peg mounted and it would probably do some damage trying. Interesting though there is a gap between. The pegs keep it about 1/16" above the base.

 

Unless it's just your lighting, the front looks to be very shiny, whereas, the back..... not so much.....what that means....IF ANYTHING, I don't know....just an observation!!

 

yes it was the lighting. Weather Ivory or Resin it still was carved very elaborately with multiple scenes. The resin examples I am finding look more moulded than carved?

 

Not resin for sure! I said elephant tooth not to say the cursed I. word
It has the particular "glow" of it to me and the lack of blood vessels black points

 

Thanks @kyratango
Did the black light test thanks to @2manybooks
Resin or plastic would glow blue, this is all white.