Cribbage board for $1.09

[tamrock]

They believed this to be a kids toy. I'm thinking it's possibly Inuit art and I'm fairly certain it to be genuine ivory, maybe walrus tusk. Found it looking in the toys section, because I pick toys up cheap for the grandson a lot of times.

 

[pepperj]

You can do the hot needle test.

 

[tamrock]

You can do the hot needle test.

I could I guess.

 

[Joecoins]

Very nice. It does look like it.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It is a cribbage board, played a lot of cribbage in the past while in the military, penny a point.

 

[tamrock]

It is a cribbage board, played a lot of cribbage in the past while in the military, penny a point.

There was a bar in Salida, Colorado called Dooley's and they had a night for cribbage along with eats for happy hour. That was in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

There was a bar in Salida, Colorado called Dooley's and they had a night for cribbage along with eats for happy hour. That was in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

I learned to play in late 60s while in Air Force, continued playing in 70s & 80s while working telecommunications, but haven't played for over 20 years now. I also played a lot of hearts during same time periods.

 

[tamrock]

Very nice. It does look like it.

I'm not a 100% and my somewhat experience with ivory leads me to believe its ivory by the density and weight of it. Also the little killer whale is something you'd see in this type of souvenir. I guess my experience with the look and feel of real ivory is what I've already collected and go's back a few decades to my mother's piano and the chip I put on one of the ivory keys, which she was somewhat disappointed in me for that. I could do the hot needle test, but that would leave a chared mark on it if it is real ivory.

 

[Kevin D]

They believed this to be a kids toy. I'm thinking it's possibly Inuit art and I'm fairly certain it to be genuine ivory, maybe walrus tusk. Found it looking in the toys section, because I pick toys up cheap for the grandson a lot of times.

elephant tusk, by the cross-checking pattern on the end of the piece, pic 2, walrus tusk would be too narrow to make a board, only about 2-3" in width

 

[ToddsPoint]

elephant tusk, by the cross-checking pattern on the end of the piece, pic 2, walrus tusk would be too narrow to make a board, only about 2-3" in width

I agree. Can you take a pic of a spot where you can see the lines cross-cross? The angle they cross would tell if it’s mammoth or elephant ivory. If it’s elephant, it might be illegal to sell now. Mammoth is still legal federally and in most states but not all.

 

[Kevin D]

some might be able to see the cross -checking more clearly by clicking on that photo to enlarge it. adding one that highlights the area here but it may not translate well in magnifying the distinct elephant ivory pattern- i can see it faintly w/ this edit of the original

 

[ncsuwolf]

I agree. Can you take a pic of a spot where you can see the lines cross-cross? The angle they cross would tell if it’s mammoth or elephant ivory. If it’s elephant, it might be illegal to sell now. Mammoth is still legal federally and in most states but not all.

I agree. Can you take a pic of a spot where you can see the lines cross-cross? The angle they cross would tell if it’s mammoth or elephant ivory. If it’s elephant, it might be illegal to sell now. Mammoth is still legal federally and in most states but not all.

If it is/was Inuit would mammoth not make more sense than elephant, or was elephant used that widely in the past?

 

[ToddsPoint]

some might be able to see the cross -checking more clearly by clicking on that photo to enlarge it. adding one that highlights the area here but it may not translate well in magnifying the distinct elephant ivory pattern- i can see it faintly w/ this edit of the original

Yep, I can see the lines now. Definitely mammoth.

 

[tamrock]

Yep, I can see the lines now. Definitely mammoth.

Really. I guess walrus ivory made more sense to me. If it is prehistoric mammoth ivory that would add to these two other pieces of mammoth ivory I've found in thrift stores.

 

[ARC]

its ivory... 100%.. elephant.

 

[tamrock]

its ivory... 100%.. elephant.

Might be. It's pretty white

 

[tamrock]

Well I believe now it is in fact mammoth ivory, based on this article. https://staff.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/2016/10/24/ivory-identification/ and this piece having what's referred to as schreger lines and the angle they are.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schreger_line Also you can purchase on several online sites mammoth ivory in cut narrow slabs, which I'm thinking this cribbage board was originally finished out of.

 

[xr7ator]

Hot needle test could be done on the threaded end of the plug.
Interesting find, Tam.