Antique ivory skull statuettes
I spotted these beautiful early 19th century skull statuettes in a back alley shop in Paris's Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. The smaller one, an anatomical model, is just a bit bigger than a shotglass. Unfortunately, they're made from ivory which was a popular medium at the time. Of course, the acquisition of ivory has tragically devastated populations of elephants, rhinos hippos, and other animals that produce the material. Click the images for bigger photos.
the latest
latest episodes
David,
Do you remember the name of the shop, or the cross streets? Id like to head over and check this place out. It looks very interesting.
Rhinos produce ivory? No way! Maybe you are talking about walrus ivory, which is the closest to elephant ivory in colour and texture, the horn of rhinos is not tooth enamel but keratin, it's a glorified bundle of hair.
Rocco
I did grab a business card but unfortunately I misplaced it or lost it along the way. If I find it, I'll post the information. I couldn't even tell you the street name other than that it was between the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Métro stop and the Jardin du Luxembourg. Not a lot of help, I know. Sorry!! I do remember that the two statuettes were roughly 1500 Euros each.
Erm, with all due respect, rhinos do not produce ivory. Bring out your inner child sir and visit a zoo, and you might find that a rhino's horn is made from keratin, the same protein that hair consists of ;-)
Digilante, you're correct. My error. I meant to "rhinos." Fixed. Thanks!
what was that about a ban on elephant hunting is bad for elephants? i listened to the mp3 but didn't buy the book. the arguments i heard were very much based on logic. which is to say, unrealistic.
I am an ivory carver and thank you for sharing those beautiful finds.
I carve in fossil ivory and strongly believe that the killing of ivory producing animals for the commercial use of ivory is a bad idea, but I wish there were a way to work with fresh material in large scale...it really is like no other material on earth and it is a loss that our appreciation for it has cost the natural world so much, though in fact, the commercial use of ivory had more to do with such mundane articles like billiard balls, hair brushes, gun handles and foundation stays than with the carvers of netsukes and other art/craft items and and their ilk.
That the demand for ivory had such terrible consequences is undeniably tragic, but it seems a bizarre turn of phrase to say that it is unfortunate that these items were crafted from it! Sad though its procurement might be, as DOGU4 says above, it's a uniquely beautiful substance, and articles made from it should be treasured in no small part because we will likely not see their like made again, and because (in the informed) they can inspire thoughtful reflection on environmental preservation and scarcity.
Those are interesting points, DSkwid and Dogu4. Honestly, I am a bit conflicted about it. My first thought (until I saw the prices) was, "I gotta have these!" But then I flashed on images of the killed and de-tusked animal. Still, I find the pieces to be quite magnificent. That's why I took the photos and posted them -- I appreciate the beauty and artistry even though I'm personally upset by the way in which the raw material was likely acquired.
They could have been made from mammoth ivory, of course, which is completely legal, and does not involve killing any living animals. I see someone wrote saying they worked in this medium.
Besides living elephant and hippopotamus ivory, as mentioned above, ivory can come from walrus, but also from fossil mammoth and narwhal ivory. Probably the most bizarre ivory used is from warthogs.
Without the sample, we may never know what animal these unique art objects came from, but thank you for photographing them. Truly intriguing.
If legal and with the share change, I would have picked them up.
Wow. If they were carved from fossilized mammoth ivory, that makes them even more incredible and curious!!!
Hi, the shop may be called 'Ivory and is on the Rue de Rennes. Just south of the St Germain des prays.
However he, ( the owner ) is a conman, no antique dealer in Paris will use him.
Also there are many little antique shops on the left bank. It could be any of them, they all sell modern North African rubbish like this, Because I'm afraid what you have bought is such.
I am an ivory turner and have been to Paris buying on hundreds of occasions.
alandewey@hotmail.co.uk
Hi, I made a comment to the effect that this might have been a shop on the rue de rennes, but I don't see it here???
It takes a minute for comments to appear. Although sometimes they do vanish later on.