The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-03
Malta is the port of Shipment to En-

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Malta is the port of shipment to En-
gland of ivory that finds its way to Tri-
poll and other points on the north coast
of Africa. To Holland ivory is brought
from her possessions on the coast of
Africa. France receives but little, except
what has been purchased in England,
portions of which are sometimes re-
turned. The Bombay, Siam and Zanzi-
bar ivory is bought for the making of
piano keys, carvings and other expen-
sive articles of luxury. All ivory from
the east coast of Africa, except the cape,
comes through Zanzibar, and pays roy
atty to the Sultan. 1t is known to the
trade by mark, arude figure of an ele-
plant, that is put upon it after the pay
ment of the royalty. 1t is said that this
mark is sometimes erased from tusks
that are to be sent to the United States
from the sales in England. Is it to pre-
vent Identification when this ivory ar
rivesin our country, and thus to evade
the duty chargeable upon goods the
produce of countries of the Cape of Good
Hope, when imported from places west
of the Cape of Good Hope?" Mammoth
tusks from Siberia occasionally come to
this market, but as they have been lying
exposed for centuries, probably for many
thousands of years, often buried in ices
the ''nature has gone out of them, and
they are not suitable for the cutters use.
The teeth of the walrus and the hippo
potamus are used in considerable guam
tity. Being of suitable size they are
used whole for making expensive carved
handles. Ivory of the best quality comes
from the west coast of Africa, under the
uames CAMERON, Angola and Gaboon.
This is brought down from the interior.
1t retains a larger proportion of the
''fat," or gelatne, from the fact, proba-
bly,, that it is more recently from the
animal. In this state tits called green"
ivory. 1t is more translucent, and not
as white as the Egyptian and other kinds
called "white' ivory; that have been
lying longer time and in a more sandy
region, exposed to the heat of the sun,
until the animal matter has disappeared.
The excellence of the ''green" ivory
consists in its greater toughness, and in
its growing'whiter by age instead of yell
low, as is the case with the winter varie-
ties. Yet buyers of cutlery, through ig-
noranee of these qualities, usually prefer
the whittier kinds, which on that account
are more in demand for the Sheffield
trade, ssnd are said to have nearly doubled
in price since 1870.
/ When the ivory comes into the hands
of the cutler, much skill is required to
make the most of the precious material.
Every scrap is turned to account. At
ter cutting out the scales of all sizes for
the pocket-knives, and the solid handles
for table cutlery, the small pieces may
be sold to the button makers, or are
made into ''pearls.l' Pearls are small
pieces of ivory, pearl, or horn inserted
into the handles of tea and coffee pots
as non-conductors of heat, SO called be-
cause originally made of pearl. The
fine sawdust is sold for fertilizing pur-
poses, for the making of galatine, and
fine white sizing for the manufacturers
of lace curtains and other fabrics. The
refuse still remaining goes to the makers
ofivory-black. The proportion of this
residuum, dust and refuse, is about ten
to fifteen pounds to the hundredweight,
and it sells for eighty to one hundred
dollars per ton. Efforts have been made
to devise some method of solidifying
ivory dust, and yet without success. Skill
is required in the cutting of ivory, as OF
wood, to bring out the beauty of the
grain. The saw of the cutter occasion.
ally reveals a rifleball that has been
lodged in the tusk and has been com.
pletely covered by subsequent growth.
About one-third of the length of the
tusk, where it enters the head of the
elephant, is hollow. This hollow, wher
the tusk is in place upon the live animal
is filled with a soft pulp or core, which
supplies the growth of the tusk. A
ball lodged in the core will in time be
come imbedded in solid ivory. This
hollow portion is cut off and sold sepa
rately, except the thinnest porti on, al
bangle ivory, and is in great demand
for bangles or ornamental rings for the
ankles and arms of Indian and African
women. That portion of the tusk to
ward the point is usually more solid ant
of finer grain. This is cut off and sole
by itself at high prices under the name
, of billiard-ball points. Small teeth from
ten to fifteen pounds weight are called
in the trade scrivelloes. The points o
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