ETHIOPIAN, ANYONE?

roanoa · 9th January 2007, 02:20 AM

Hi, Bill. What I am saying is that "core" (I call it core for lack of a better term) is dark gray. It is also more compact and much harder that the rest of the horn that tend to turn amber/yellow and is certainly softer. It appears to be dusty gray in nature but polishes out to the above mentioned colour.
Hi, Spiral. You are telling me something new. I have CLOSELY examined well in excess of 60 sword. Some are more "yellow" that others. However, in all cases of reddish/brown handles, I can assure you that the horn had been dyed. Are there some naturally red/brown horns? I really don't know. I haven't seen any so far. So, please, tell me which other natural colours are there. I can also say that the horn, being made up of organic matter, is subject to deterioration and decay with noticible changes in its apperance. By the way, you guys won't probably like this (.....) but I have started treating my Ethiopian swords' handles with lanolin......

spiral · 9th January 2007, 08:32 PM

Sure Roanna it was a helpfull post of yours a year or so back that got me into researching Rhino horn in depth. But you didnt answear my request for further info in it so i took my own steps to find out more. {as I do with many subjects.}.

I have great respect for your hands on expierience. You have examined 5x as much rhino horn as I.

Some rhino horn can be green I have a Georgian riding crop that the head of it is translucent amber ,then greeny brown with the centre core from close to the rhinos skin alternating creamy & black. with the shaft very green & tiny cream flecks.

There are 5 types of rhino in the world, 3 of them dont live in africa I think? I dont know if that can account for some variations?

I find the Pachyderm group who publish biyearly has some material in thier past works I am sure you would find fascinating.

You can download them here.

http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/afesg/pachy/

I recomend volumes 30 & 34 in particular, which have many articles about rhino horn, jambiyas & the rhino horn trade.

One of my favorite referance works is "the art of rhinocerous horn carving in china" by Jan chapman who was allowed to examine siezed rhino horns in thier naturel state plus many of the words museams collection of rhino horn art.

She does agrre with you that red brown means fake or dyed rhino horn as I recall.

But the book which has some fantastic pictures in tit shows that the dark core can be present, as a core, in randoms areas or inded the whole horn can be grey black. Its not always a central core.

The book also illustrates the many colour tones present.

Apparently The yemani & Saudi arabs rate Rhino horn handles by colour, grain & of course translucency.

The yellow translucent bieng the most expensive & highly prized & indeed my Jambiya with such a handle glows like a bulb in bright sunlight, so i can see its attraction.

Apparently in yemen sesame oil is used to restore old handles, but lanolin sounds good to me.

ive used baby oil but will experiment with sessame & lanolin in futre.

Spiral

roanoa · 9th January 2007, 08:59 PM

Spiral. This is really great. You confirm some of my observations and give new info at the same time. I have never seen a green (or is it "greenish"?) horn. Would like to examine one, though. You are right when you say that the "dark core" does not have a precise position. I have noticed that too. Keep in touch. Black, White, Indian and Javanese. Who's the fifth? I guess I could google it...

spiral · 9th January 2007, 09:09 PM

thanks Roanoa, glad it was of help to you.

Rhino horn is fascinating. To me & others who have seen the crop the reaction is always that its green or in some light, grey green with light flecks in the grain.

the 5th rhino type is the Sumatran, it has 2 horns but those left today the horn is only vistigal. I guess allthoughts with larger horns have been hunted out over the years so have been removed from the breeding stock.

take care ,
spiral

9th January 2007, 02:20 AM	#1
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Hi, Bill. What I am saying is that "core" (I call it core for lack of a better term) is dark gray. It is also more compact and much harder that the rest of the horn that tend to turn amber/yellow and is certainly softer. It appears to be dusty gray in nature but polishes out to the above mentioned colour. Hi, Spiral. You are telling me something new. I have CLOSELY examined well in excess of 60 sword. Some are more "yellow" that others. However, in all cases of reddish/brown handles, I can assure you that the horn had been dyed. Are there some naturally red/brown horns? I really don't know. I haven't seen any so far. So, please, tell me which other natural colours are there. I can also say that the horn, being made up of organic matter, is subject to deterioration and decay with noticible changes in its apperance. By the way, you guys won't probably like this (.....) but I have started treating my Ethiopian swords' handles with lanolin......

9th January 2007, 08:32 PM	#2
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Sure Roanna it was a helpfull post of yours a year or so back that got me into researching Rhino horn in depth. But you didnt answear my request for further info in it so i took my own steps to find out more. {as I do with many subjects.}. I have great respect for your hands on expierience. You have examined 5x as much rhino horn as I. Some rhino horn can be green I have a Georgian riding crop that the head of it is translucent amber ,then greeny brown with the centre core from close to the rhinos skin alternating creamy & black. with the shaft very green & tiny cream flecks. There are 5 types of rhino in the world, 3 of them dont live in africa I think? I dont know if that can account for some variations? I find the Pachyderm group who publish biyearly has some material in thier past works I am sure you would find fascinating. You can download them here. http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/afesg/pachy/ I recomend volumes 30 & 34 in particular, which have many articles about rhino horn, jambiyas & the rhino horn trade. One of my favorite referance works is "the art of rhinocerous horn carving in china" by Jan chapman who was allowed to examine siezed rhino horns in thier naturel state plus many of the words museams collection of rhino horn art. She does agrre with you that red brown means fake or dyed rhino horn as I recall. But the book which has some fantastic pictures in tit shows that the dark core can be present, as a core, in randoms areas or inded the whole horn can be grey black. Its not always a central core. The book also illustrates the many colour tones present. Apparently The yemani & Saudi arabs rate Rhino horn handles by colour, grain & of course translucency. The yellow translucent bieng the most expensive & highly prized & indeed my Jambiya with such a handle glows like a bulb in bright sunlight, so i can see its attraction. Apparently in yemen sesame oil is used to restore old handles, but lanolin sounds good to me. ive used baby oil but will experiment with sessame & lanolin in futre. Spiral

9th January 2007, 08:59 PM	#3
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Spiral. This is really great. You confirm some of my observations and give new info at the same time. I have never seen a green (or is it "greenish"?) horn. Would like to examine one, though. You are right when you say that the "dark core" does not have a precise position. I have noticed that too. Keep in touch. Black, White, Indian and Javanese. Who's the fifth? I guess I could google it...

9th January 2007, 09:09 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	thanks Roanoa, glad it was of help to you. Rhino horn is fascinating. To me & others who have seen the crop the reaction is always that its green or in some light, grey green with light flecks in the grain. the 5th rhino type is the Sumatran, it has 2 horns but those left today the horn is only vistigal. I guess allthoughts with larger horns have been hunted out over the years so have been removed from the breeding stock. take care , spiral