Is this a whale's tooth?

[harrywagner]

This is a Keris that I purchased from Ron over the holidays. Here is what I have been able to determine: the dress is Ladrang form, wooden Sarong with a plain brass Pendok. The Mendak is also brass and lightly decorated, the Wilah is 13 Dapor Lok with an interesting Pamor. The Ukiran is a mystery. Is it a whale's tooth? I've compared it side by side with two other knives that have stag horn handles and I am not convinced this is stag horn. Anyone know? TIA for any help!

BTW... If you've not bought from Ron you have missed the best buyer experience ever.

Happy New Year!
Harry

[Henk]

Ivory?

[David]

It looks like bone to me, but photos can be deceptive.

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by Henk

Ivory?

Maybe. Here is what professor Google says:

Thirty teeth of the sperm whale can be used for ivory. Each of these teeth, up to 8" long and 3" across, are hollow for the first half of their length. Sperm whale ivory is easily confused with walrus ivory, as both have two distinct layers. The inner layer of sperm whale ivory, however, is much larger.

I don't think it is bone, but I could be mistaken.

[Rick]

Bone.
Let's see the end of the handle.
The dentine of Walrus is very different from Sperm Whale dentine.

[A. G. Maisey]

Bone or de-natured antler. Not whales tooth.

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by Rick

Bone.
Let's see the end of the handle.
The dentine of Walrus is very different from Sperm Whale dentine.

Hopefully this is good enough for a positive ID. The lighting in my home office is not very good. Thanks for the help!

[Rick]

If bone I'd expect to see a porous end on this handle. Of course these handles are sometimes capped with an insert, but I can't make one out.

[VANDOO]

MY BEST GUESS FROM THE PICTURES IS BONE OR ANTLER. SPERM WHALE TEETH DON'T HAVE PORES AND ARE USUALLY OF A UNIFORM SMOOTHNESS AND COLOR. KERIS HANDLES ARE OFTEN MADE FROM ANTLER OR BONE THOUGH IVORY IS SOMETIMES USED, MOST I HAVE SEEN AND COULD IDENTIFY WERE ELEPHANT IVORY. NICE REGARDLESS AND THESE DAYS ITS BETTER NOT TO RUN A-FOUL OF THE FOUL IVORY LAWS THAT BAN EVERYTHING REGARDLESS OF AGE AND ORIGIN.

[COYOTE]

My vote is bone, absolutely not tooth, antler, elephant or marine ivory.

[COYOTE]

The striations, small parallel lines visible all over the hilt, are the "scars" of the blood vessels when the bone was alive, part of a living creature.
In my opinion, this is the most important and reliable criterion to classify this material as bone.

[kai]

Hello Harry,

The scabbard crafted from a single piece of wood is something that should be especially mentioned!

This is a Keris that I purchased from Ron over the holidays.
<snip>
BTW... If you've not bought from Ron you have missed the best buyer experience ever.

I certainly can recommend him, too!

Regards,
Kai

[Marcokeris]

elephant bone ?

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

elephant bone ?

I think it is whale bone. At least I vaguely remember Ron mentioning that. It does not look like any bone I have ever seen before. That it was a tooth was wishful thinking on my part. I am always looking for the Holy Grail

Many thanks to everyone for the comments, suggestions, etc. It helps a lot.

Harry

[harrywagner]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Harry,

The scabbard crafted from a single piece of wood is something that should be especially mentioned!



I certainly can recommend him, too!

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai,
Many thanks for your help with the hilt. I think you are right about it being bone. Thanks also for pointing out the "single piece" scabbard. I had not noticed that. Happy new year!