[Artemisia] Semi-OT: Ivory Test?

[grvsmith at wyoming.com]

You can heat up a pin till it is red hot and apply it to a small unnoticeable area.......
if it's ivory it should smell like burnt bone (or tooth).
If it's epoxy or some such it will smell like burnt plastic.

Frideger

--- dtavares1 at hotmail.com wrote:

From: "Dawn Tavares" <dtavares1 at hotmail.com>
To: artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org
Subject: [Artemisia] Semi-OT: Ivory Test?
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:00:51 -0600

Fair cousins and artisans,

Is there a simple, non-destructive way to test for ivory vs. plastic? This 
weekend I had the good fortune to pick up a baggie of wooden thread winders 
at a small antique shop. The bag also contained a short, decoratively carved 
bodkin and three of what look like simple thread spools for bobbin lace. The 
discoloration and wear patterns make me think they're genuine ivory.

The tools look old enough to be Victorian, and Bakelite didn't come into 
common use until the...1930s, I think. By then decorative handsewing and 
lacemaking had fallen out of favor. So I'm reasonably certain, but I'd like 
to have some empirical data on my side.

Whether ivory or plastic, I'm happy with my find. I picked up the whole 
package for a buck(!).

Warrrrr! **Shopping!!*


Aurora de Portugal
BLS

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