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Gem Carvings, Rare Collector Gems, and Gemstone Jewelry
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Introduction
There are five main groups of organic gems that are most often used in jewelry—pearls, amber, coral, ivory, and jet. Pearls, amber, and coral are fairly common in today's jewelry marketplace (although coral is getting over fished), and ivory and jet are less common and mostly seen in vintage and antique pieces.
In addition there is Shell from tropical and sub-tropical regions, natural horn from wild and domestic animals worldwide, plant materials like wood, organic plant fossil gems, and organic mineral like petrified wood. Much less common but nevertheless considered collector items is jewelry made from human hair, antlers and animal horns, and animal claws.
Some of these materials like ivory and claws, although extensively used years ago are not used widely today due to laws that protect certain animals. However, these materials have been used in jewelry throughout the ages and for you antique and vintage collectors who may presently own or collect these unusual pieces, I will explore both the common and less common organic gemstone and other organic materials in a provocative series of articles.
Ivory
Technically, teeth or small tusks are considered "ivory", but except for that from elephants and walrus, few such items are seen today. They were very popular in the Victorian Era. Rarer ivory includes sperm and whale teeth, and perhaps most exotic, narwhal tusk. Trade in tooth and tusk ivory varies in legality depending on the species, the country of sale, and the age of the piece. Surprisingly to me, 
the sale of boar tusks and hippo teeth are unrestricted. Although hippos shed their teeth naturally which people located in their habitats can collect and legally sell to the United States, UK, and most European countries. There is a huge market in Japan and China where small carved objects made of hippo ivory have thankfully largely replaced those of elephant ivory. Trade in marine ivory from whale, walrus, and narwhal ivory is limited to native populations or certified antiques. Ivory artifacts are relatively durable due to their density and relatively high ratio of mineral to protein components. Ivory is 65% mineral and 35% protein material, mostly calcium phosphate with collagen and elastin. Its smooth translucent appearance is white to light yellow with a greasy to dull polish luster. It is of fair toughness with a hardness of 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 and a RI (Refractive Index) of 1.54. Ivory is commonly enhanced by bleaching to remove stains or lighten the natural color or dyed with tobacco juice, tea or other dyes to create the appearance of antique ivory. Similar effects can be obtained with gentle heat or irradiation. Mild bleaching solutions of hydrogen peroxide or chlorine can even out color, and remove some blemishes, and is occasionally done. Very rarely, specimens of bone or ivory are dyed blue with copper salts to simulate a rare, naturally colored fossil ivory known as odontolite.
Major worldwide sources of ivory, including that from living protected species are elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, sperm whale, narwhale, and wart-hog ivory. Fossilized ivory is from Fossil Wooly Mammoth, Mastodon, and Fossil Walrus Ivory. The majority of very old ivory carvings and ornaments are probably from Asian elephant whose tusks are relatively smaller and found only on male animals. Within the last several hundred years, however, the African elephant has been the ivory provider of choice, due to its historically greater population numbers, larger tusks, and the fact that both sexes are tusked.The once thriving commerce in African elephant ivory is mind-numbing. Before plastics were invented in the late 19th century, ivory was the source for such diverse and universal items as jewelry, buttons, hair combs, billiard balls, furniture inlay, and veneer for piano keys. It was not until the 1970's that finally the Western world's consciousness became tuned in to the environment. Protecting the world’s natural resources became a priority. The consequences of the horrific carnage were devastatingly obvious and preservation of these magnificent creatures began. In 1989 a world-wide ban on elephant ivory trade was instituted as part of CITES (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species). Since then elephant populations have rebounded to some degree, and interest in still-legal forms of ivory and ivory simulants has increased. Sadly, due to the rarity now of elephant ivory, its value has increased proportionately thus stimulating the black market trade. Currently small parcels of CITE’s approved ivory from elephants dying of natural causes or captured goods from smugglers are legally sold to help finance conservation efforts.
Until about 7-10,000 years ago, mammoths ranged over Eurasia and mastodons over the Americas. Throughout their long reign as species, innumerable individuals died and were buried in mud, ice, or peat. These artifacts, although not mineralized in the true sense of fossilization, have been preserved, and due to erosion, geological events or mining have been, and are being, unearthed and used as ivory sources. Fossil ivory is found wherever there were Prehistoric Mammoths and Walrus. Most used in jewelry today comes from Eastern Europe (Siberia) where it is found by the ton and the North American continent.Care of Ivory
For the care of your ivory antique jewelry piece it is recommended not to use steam or ultrasonic cleaners and avoid chemical cleaners. The sun and other heat sources will age and turn natural ivory yellow. It goes without saying that as a soft organic gem, ivory must be cleaned and worn carefully. Wiping the piece with a damp cloth should be sufficient.
Ivory Substitutes and Simulants
Common materials mistaken for natural ivory are bone and plastic, and there are some truly lovely contemporary jewelry pieces on the market made of natural 'vegetable ivory' derived from tagua nuts from South America and doum palm nuts from Africa. Early plastics such as celluloid and casein were widely popular as faux ivory from the late 19th century, with modern plastics carrying on the tradition today. Simulants can be detected relatively easy by microscopic examination. Plastics and vegetable ivory show a complete lack of the structure typical of ivories. Bone, although showing internal patterns that verify its origin as an animal tissue, is quite distinctive with its Haversian Canals.
