Ivory or bone? Choora

[AkaaliSingh]

Hi guys I think is ivory on this afghan choora.. can anybody confirm? There also is a inscription on the spine i need a hand translating with..

Thank you

[mariusgmioc]

From the photos you posted it is very hard to say. Can you post better ones?
Maybe close-ups with the scales.
The colour matches that of ivory and it may even display the characteristic structure (in the third photo with the close-up of the pommel) but cannot say for sure from what you posted.
I'm curious to see what others may have to say.

[ariel]

Agree re. close-up of the grip scales: bone would usually show short dark lines.
These are periostal blood vessels. If one can't see them, it might be possible that the upper layer was polished off. But if they are there, the answer is 100% final.

[estcrh]

Hard to tell, some more photos may help.

[AkaaliSingh]

Hey guys , thanks for the input , here are some closer shots. I think the top section are ivory and bottom are bone? Looks like the blade is also wootz too , just needs a good etch!

[AkaaliSingh]

wootz

[mahratt]

Originally Posted by AkaaliSingh

Hey guys , thanks for the input , here are some closer shots. I think the top section are ivory and bottom are bone? Looks like the blade is also wootz too , just needs a good etch!

I think that it's not ivory. Blade possible - wootz.

[Bob A]

Very attractive choora, and a delightful sheath (or scabbard? Is there a difference?).

I suspect the material in question is bone. Not an easy determination to make from a photo, of course.

[mariusgmioc]

Thank you for the new photos!

Based solely on the photos is difficult to form a definitive opinion, but from what I see I tend to believe it is elephant ivory, both the pommel and the scales.

The blade also appears to be wootz, but then again, it is difficult to say from the photos.

If I had this knife, I would give it a thorough cleaning, some polishing (to both the blade and the hilt), then try some etching of the blade.

Anyhow, it is a very nice knife.

PS: Not long ago, I got an Indian Pesk-kabz in pretty bad shape. Cleaned it thoroughly (the hilt with alcohol and the blade with white spirit), gave it a good polishing (the hilt with 1000/2000 up to 5000/7000 grit - and the blade with 800 up to 3000 grit) then etched the blade, and the result was spectacular. The polishing revealed the superb elephant ivory hilt and the etching revealed high contrast wootz.

[Roland_M]

100% ivory, I can see the typical Schreger lines and the surface is too smooth for bone.

Roland

[Shakethetrees]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

100% ivory, I can see the typical Schreger lines and the surface is too smooth for bone.

Roland

Elephant ivory indeed.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Bob A

... sheath (or scabbard? Is there a difference?)....

basically, no.

i tend to look at a sheath being a soft (all leather) home for a knife or dagger, and a scabbard being a hard (wood or wood lined or metal) home for a sword, and possibly for a dagger or knife, especially a hard military issue one. the terms overlap some. a softish unlined leather sheath for a sword/hanger/cutlass/langseax with metal fittings, throat, chape, hangers, i might think of as a scabbard, others may call it a sheath. so, call them what you think best. and feel free to change your mind frequently.