IVORY.
Sin-u1-51, . . ARAB. Hat'hi dant, . . HIND.
Siang-pi, CHIN. Ebure, . . . . IT.
Filsben , DAN. Gading Banta, . MALAY.
Elpenbeen, . . Dim Dandan-i-fel, . . FERN.
Ivoor, „ Marfim, . . . .
Ivorie, . . . FR. Slonovaza kost, . RES.
Elfenbein, . . . GER. Dan ta, . . . SANSK.
BiephaS, . . . . Ga. Filbein , Sw.
Karnoth-shen, . . HEIL Dantarn, . . TAN.
Shen-habbirn, .. „ Dantamu, . . TEL.
Ivory is mentioned in Homer and Ilesiod. The great throne of Solomon was made of ivory (1 Kings x. 18-20, xxii. 39 ; 2 Chronicles ix. 17-19; Canticles vii. 4). The ivory of commerce is obtained from the tusks and teeth of the elephant, the narwhal, the walrus, and the hippo potamus. The best and largest supply is, how ever, from the elephant, and that of the slain elephant is preferred. The male elephant, when full grown, has two tusks, varying very greatly in size in different animals, but most valued when they are large, straight, and light in colour. These tusks are hollow at their insertion into the jaw, and for a considerable space therefrom, but become solid as they taper towards the extremity. The principal sources whence they are obtained are the western coast of Africa and the E. Indies; but the African tusks are most esteemed, as being denser in texture, and less liable to turn yellow. By an analysis, the African show a proportion of animal to earthy matter of 101 parts to 100; while in the Indian it is 76 to 100.
Unmanufaetured Ivory.
Imported. Exported.
Lbs. I Value, Rs. Lbs. Value, Rs.
1874-75, . 567,214 12,11,517 8,288 39,183 1875-76, . 568,588 22,92,471 12,300 59,473 1876-77. . 546, 769 24,15, 314 10,731 52,566 1877-78, . 456,662 19,39,549 11,211 56,653 1878-79, . 405,988 16,73,742 12,148 57,458 1879-80, . 431,740 17,92,609 12,255 55,624 1880-81, . 471,689 20,51,332 9,194 43,970 1881-82, . 511,829 21,89,672 9,994 50,046 The largest pair of elephant's tusks sent to the 1851 Exhibition weighed 138 lbs. ; they were obtained from a wild elephant killed in the Travancore forests. One tusk weighed 71 lbs., the other 67 lbs., and showed a fine white com pact kind of ivory ; of these two, one measured 6 feet 8 inches in length, and the other G feet 6 inches, the circumference at the base being 17 inches in each case. The domestication of the elephant is usually attended by deterioration of the length and quantity of the ivory. At Zanzi bar, and on the east coast of Africa, tusks weigh ing 100 lbs. each are common ; those of 175 lbs. are not rare, and a pair has been seen whose joint weight was 560 lbs.
The tusks of the hippopotamus afford a very hard and white ivory. These are usually short and much curved, hollow at the place of insertion, and covered with a glossy enamel. They vary in weight from 3 or 4 to 30 lbs. These are highly prized by the dentists, and are better adapted than any other ivory for making artificial teeth. The thick coat of enamel which covers them has first to be removed, for this entirely resists steel tools, and under it is found a pure white ivory, with a slight bluish cast. The parts rejected by
the dentists are used for small carved and turned works.
The horn or tooth of the narwhal is also bard and susceptible of a fine polish. The largest size is 10 feet long; at the lower extremity it forms a slender cone of a twisted or spiral figure.
Fossil ivory at one time supplied almost the whole of the ivory-turner's work made in Russia. Along the banks of the larger rivers of Further Siberia, thousands of tusks were annually dug up, which once constituted the weapons of defence of a species of mammoth now extinct. Their sub stance was as well adapted for use as the ivory pro cured from living species. One measured 10 feet in length, and was solid to within 6 inches of the root, weighing no less than 186 lbs. ; this was cut up into keys for pianofortes. African ivory, when first cut, is mellow, warm, and transparent, almost as if soaked in oil, and with very little appearance of grain or fibre ; the oil dries con siderably by exposure, and a permanent tint then remains, a few shades darker than writing paper. Asiatic ivory is more dead-white at first, but is more disposed of the two to turn yellow after wards. Ivory is brought to China, principally from Cochin-China, and from Africa via Bombay, and always finds a ready sale at Canton ; the largest and best tusks weigh from 16 to 25 lbs. each, decreasing to 5 or 6 lbs. The cuttings and fragments also form an article of trade, as the workmen can employ the smallest pieces. Bones and horns, especially the long horns of buffaloes, are in China worked into handles, buttons, etc. Rhinoceros' horns are taken from Burma, from Sumatra, and from Africa through Bombay ; they are highly valued by the Chinese, from a notion that cups made from them sweat whenever a poisonous mixture is poured into them. A perfect horn sometimes sells as high as 300 dols., but those that come from Africa do not usually rate above 30 or 40 dols. each. The principal use of these horns is in medicine and for amulets, for only one good cup can be carved from the end of each born ; and consequently the parings and fragments are all preserved. The hard teeth of the walrus, lamantin, and other cetaceous animals also form an article of import into China from the Pacific, under the designation of sea-horse teeth ; they weigh 1 or 2 lbs. a-piece, and the ivory is nearly as compact, though not so white, as that of the elephant.
Ivory of the teeth of the sperm whale is hard, heavy, elegantly marked, and takes a good polish, but is somewhat variable in quality, and often deficient in purity- of colour.—F. D. Bennett, p.
11; Tomlinson; Holtzaptfel; Hon. Mr. Morrison's Compendious Description ; Madras Exhibition Juries' Rep.