He stated, "It doesn't look vertebrate (i.e., not a tooth or claw), but it could be a cast of some sort of invertebrate..... Could simply be some sort of inorganic, non-fossil specimen. " He might be able to provide a better identification if he is able to see it in person.
Do you have a fine file ? if so take the edge of the file and lightly run it over the hollow end of it, if it dose not take a little material off and just slides over it that would tell you it was subject to high heat.
I'm gonna say...it's not a claw. I am fairly certain, but not as an expert, that it's a concretion with a shell that is heavily hematite laden. I find a lot of fragments and in some cases whole or partial concretions...called Indian paint pots around here...but the 'shells' can take on some strange shapes for whatever reasons. I read that hematite can be magnetic...all of the fragments that I have are, though not highly. If you dangle a neodymium magnet disc taped to a piece of string...you'll be able to detect slight magnetism that you wouldn't ordinarily be able to detect by using your fingers while holding the same magnet. Anyway, that might be a small indicator that what you have is(might be) hematite. The fine yellowish, orange-ish or brownish fine chalky mud inside...another indicator. It is reported that that is why they're called 'indian paint pots' because they used the colored mud for face/body paint. Your specimen is neat looking....and I'd certainly prize it among my collection.
I was looking more into someone's suggestion of seeing a 'monkey' motif...I see it too, hard not to. I'm starting to think that this might actually be man made...I did a little more snooping on the net...maybe it's part of something like a 'Vienna bronze miniature' figurine. If you can tell if it's metal...I'd assume in that case that it was bronze. It wouldn't have to be metal, but still a possibility. The 'claw' part I am thinking is supposed to be a 'banana'. It makes sense.
Appt at Museum on Monday
Finally
I really don’t know what to do or say...
People always recommend saying a piece is “a gift received long ago,”
When dealing with museums lol
Anyway, any advice would be appreciated lol
Maybe it’s just a tree root
We’ll see Monday