Conservation and restoration are aimed at preserving the ivory material and physical form along with the objects condition and treatment documentation.
Ivory has been manipulated since prehistoric times and as a material has been used in religion, as jewelry, piano keys, decorative arts, and other products.
The demand for ivory has caused specific animals to become endangered, including the African and Asian Elephant.
Ivory is a coveted material throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia that is illustrated in religious objects, art, and demonstrates wealth.
Tusks of some male African elephants can grow up to 2 meters (6 ½ feet) and weigh up to 45 kilograms (100 pounds).
By looking at if the carved ivory does or does not have the pulp cavity it can help indicate what part of the tusk was used and its original length.
It is characterized in cross section by the central core that has a marbled appearance surrounded by the smooth creamy white dentin layer.
When using a magnifying hand lens, the wart hog dentin shows irregularly spaced concentric lines with varying thickness.
[6] The upper and lower canine and incisors are the most common sources for hippopotamus ivory and each one has a distinctive gross morphology.
Using a magnifying hand lens, we can see tightly packed series of fine concentric lines, which can be regularly or irregularly spaced.
Killer whale teeth show two slight peripheral indentations and may also display a faint rosette pattern in the dentin cross-section.
[6] French ivory is a synthetic material that is typically composed of pigmented cellulose nitrate and/or casein.
Oxide gases have been known to spontaneously combust so if this type of ivory shows any deterioration it must be kept away from the rest of the collection.
The agents of deterioration include the following: Physical forces Ivory is very fragile and susceptible to cracking, chipping and breakage.
[5] Pests Bone, ivory, and antler are rarely attacked by insects, but horn is often seriously damaged by the larvae of carpet beetles and clothes moths.
[7] Ivory tends to shrink, swell, crack, split, and/or warp on exposure to extremes or fluctuations in relative humidity and temperature.
[3] Sunlight and artificial light can damage the surface of the ivory by discoloring (patina) as well as make it more brittle.
[8] Lighting is kept at 5 foot-candles Ivory is very rarely attacked by insects but benefits from being routinely inspected to ensure no pest activity.
Tightly closed display cases or storage will provide protection from any sudden changes in temperature, relative humidity, dirt, and dust.
Storage drawers lined with a chemically stable cushioning material, for example polyethylene or polypropylene will protect the surface of the ivory.
Another option for storage is wrapping it in unbuffered, acid free tissue paper and stored in a sealed polyethylene bag.
[5] Avoid storing or displaying ivory near radiators, heat pipes, outside windows, and incandescent lights as they can cause excessive drying and temperature fluctuations.
[9] Avoid wax or other protective coatings as they can age over time resulting in yellowing or darkening of the ivory surface.
The weight is another indicator as ivory and bone are heavier than shell, horn, plastics, and composite mixtures.
It can also help identify the chemical composition of any pigments used on the ivory along with the previous mixtures and materials used for conservation or restoration of the object.
[11] DNA analysis is a more precise method of identification as it can identify if it is an African or Asian elephant and even specific areas from within a country that the ivory may belong to.
This method requires a small sample of ivory where the mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA can be isolated and compared.
[4] With the dramatic decline in population for African and Asian elephants along with poaching there are certain laws and regulations for ivory.
Non-commercial purposes: To be eligible it must be an antique as defined by the ESA, or it but have been created prior to 1979 and has not be bought or sold since that time.
[15] It is legal if it meets the following criteria: an antique ivory can be sold within a state only if it has documentation from CITES certifying that it was imported prior to 1975.