Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-11-24
COST OF IVORY
in Price Are Very In
teresting.

III is curious taCt That nOtwith-
standing the marked advance in the
price of ivory in recent years, the vol
ume of sales has not diminished, but
has actually increased. Tusks have
been selling in the markets of London
and Antwerp at an advance of about
so per cent. over the prices charged a
few years ago, says the jewelers. Cir
cular Weekly
The causes which have led to this
advance in price are very interesting
1t is not due to any artificial manip-
ulation of the markets in the great
centers, nor is it due TO increased de-
mand or scarcity of elephants. For
the cause we must look to the heart
of Africa, where a spirit of genuine
commercialism is manifesting itself
among the natives. Their wealth is
in ivory, and they have learned to
value it as such. Indeed, the wealth
of leading men among the natives was
once commonly counted in tusks.
They would say of dusky capitalist
of this kind that he was worth so
many tusks, just as one in this coun-
Ily WOulu say llldJ IL luuu 10 MOIlu oO
many dollars. OF course, that was
natural phase in the development of
a primitive people. The red man
estimated his riches in wampum, and
the Laplander in furs. They often
would part with their possessions for u
few beads or trinkets. They did not know
the value of a dollar. Certainly it can
no longer be said of the natives of Af-
rica that they do not know the value
of money. They have learned. Thus
it comes that the "heathen in his
blindness" is not so blind as has been
supposed.
Increased transportation facilities
and telegraphic communications have
brought Africa into closer touch with
the rest of the world. 1t is said that
a native may be working 1000 miles
in the interior, and yet he can quote
you the cash value of tusks in the
Antwerp or London market.
Of course it is a far cry from Az
rica to the United States, and yet
there is very good market for ivory
in this country. Alert and enterpris-
ing buyers are always on the lookout
for opportunities to pick up good tusks.
If Bostock or Barnum & Bailey ever
chance to have an elephant die on their
hands in this country, it is not dead
loss to them by any means. 1t is
likely that an energetic buyer OF
ivory will be bidding for it before the
carcass is cold.
American manufacturers confine
themselves mainly, though rot exclu-
sively, to such workings of ivory as
are appropriate for toilet goods. The
process of manufacture is a delicate
one, requiring considerable skill A
tusk weighing, say, from rs to 125
pounds is bolted to a moving table
on which it is sawed into plates. Dur
ing this stage the tusll has to be kept
thoroughly wet down to prevent burn
ing as ivory is very hard, and a good
deal of heat is generated by the fric-
ton.
From these plates, or fiat pieces, yari.
Gus rough shapes are sawed out, ac
cording to the forms or designs which
are to be perfected later on. In saw
ing out these shapes care has TO bt
taken to avoid spots or blemishes il
the ivory, and at the same time guarC
against wasting valuable material. Tt
be able to do tn with good judg
ment and discrimination is one tes
of a good workman in IVORY, and tht
number of men who are co npetent t
do this kind of work is very limited