Wootz kard with strange handle material

eftihis · 5th February 2008, 06:51 PM

Hallo, bellow is a wootz kard, probably Persian. The handle looks a bit different from what I have seen, it is certainly made from a marine ivory, but is it the usual walrus or is it something else? It has the marks of "teeth structure" allover, without any "plain ivory" part. Could it be from another animal?

spiral · 5th February 2008, 07:19 PM

Nice kard! Looks like a perfect example of the the inner dentine core of walrus ivory to me.

Id say the the handle shows one or 2 patches of the outer plainer dentine .

I realy cant see that coming out of a whales tooth. {the only other real option.}

Spiral

eftihis · 5th February 2008, 07:39 PM

Spiral, thanks for your comments. In that case can this "dentine" part be so large to make a handle only from that? Is it maybe from a particulary large teeth, and the maker made effort to use only this part for more impressive decorative results?

spiral · 5th February 2008, 08:04 PM

o yes Efihis The tusks can be well over 3 inches diameter on big old tusks from yesteryear & 30 inches long. Knife hilts of just the inner dentine are not unknown.. {Some are on Artzi site, i recall?}

The inner dentine was regarded the most sought after & attractive part in many cultures.

Spiral

RSWORD · 5th February 2008, 10:58 PM

The only other suggestion is that it could be fossilized material which was often traded throughout the middle east. The coloration is suggestive of mineral deposits often found on fossilized material or it is very well patinated and this could be indicitive of its age.

5th February 2008, 06:51 PM	#1
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	Wootz kard with strange handle material Hallo, bellow is a wootz kard, probably Persian. The handle looks a bit different from what I have seen, it is certainly made from a marine ivory, but is it the usual walrus or is it something else? It has the marks of "teeth structure" allover, without any "plain ivory" part. Could it be from another animal? Attached Images

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5th February 2008, 07:19 PM	#2
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Nice kard! Looks like a perfect example of the the inner dentine core of walrus ivory to me. Id say the the handle shows one or 2 patches of the outer plainer dentine . I realy cant see that coming out of a whales tooth. {the only other real option.} Spiral

5th February 2008, 07:39 PM	#3
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	Spiral, thanks for your comments. In that case can this "dentine" part be so large to make a handle only from that? Is it maybe from a particulary large teeth, and the maker made effort to use only this part for more impressive decorative results?

5th February 2008, 08:04 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	o yes Efihis The tusks can be well over 3 inches diameter on big old tusks from yesteryear & 30 inches long. Knife hilts of just the inner dentine are not unknown.. {Some are on Artzi site, i recall?} The inner dentine was regarded the most sought after & attractive part in many cultures. Spiral

5th February 2008, 10:58 PM	#5
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,087	The only other suggestion is that it could be fossilized material which was often traded throughout the middle east. The coloration is suggestive of mineral deposits often found on fossilized material or it is very well patinated and this could be indicitive of its age.