Ivory is a substance similar to bone but with different texture, it is much harder, more compact and heavy. It is white and can be polished to obtain a shiny surface.
It actually comes from elephant teeth and they differ in shape, size and some of its components. Although the word ivory refers to teeth of any vertebrate.
From the nineteenth century, its high demand caused a holocaust for the elephants, although the Greeks, the Hebrews and the Egyptians used ivory as ornaments and even sculptures. Byzantine art also made use of ivory at the gates of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
While it is true that it is not prohibited to own these old articles made of ivory, its marketing and importation is prohibited, unless they have the corresponding permits. This aims to save the annihilation of these species.
Before the appearance of plastic, it was widely used as material for piano keys and billiard balls, buttons and ornamental jewelry items.
As for ivory jewelry, they are exotic and rare accessories to get at this time, however you may be able to find some pieces, but you should know that if it is not treated the right way you can change its color, which would turn yellowish.
In 1989 the sale of ivory from elephants was prohibited, although it is allowed to come from other species such as the mammoth, as it is an extinct species, therefore it is outside the restrictions, although they must have their certificate of origin.
The mammoth ivory is extracted from the frozen Siberian steppe, where it is preserved in perfect condition and with the same characteristics that the material had in life during the Upper Palaeolithic.
For thousands of years, ivory has been used by humans as a decorative object and personal adornment, for its low hardness and ease of dyeing.
With this prehistoric material, beautiful pieces of jewelry have been made such as pendants, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. Ivory is also used from other game mammals such as wild boar, deer and other game products.
In contemporary jewelry, there are few jewelery companies dedicated to working with this material. However, the German house Hemmerle or the French Alain Miville have made some pieces of mammoth ivory. Monique Péan, from the United States, has made very sophisticated mammoth jewelry, which she has combined with gold, diamonds and even dinosaur bones. The Navarra firm Cattay Exclusive has its own line of jewelry from this millennial material.
Another type of ivory in vogue these days is the organic ivory, from La Tagua, which is the seed of a palm that grows in the humid parts of the Ecuadorian jungle and with which pieces of jewelry are made, without any objection from animal rights activists and it looks similar to ivory.
ALFA