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What is Hong Kong Ivory vs. Mammoth Tooth Ivory?
Hong Kong Ivory - Is it Real Ivory?
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Sometimes called "Synthetic Ivory" or
"Mandarin Ivory" it does not come from elephants, and therefore is perfectly
legal to own and sell. It also does not harm any animals or endangered species
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Ox bone is the most used substance,
ground into a fine powder and mixed in with synthetic resins specially
formulated to give the look, feel and weight of real ivory.
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The basic shapes of the finished
products are then cast, hand carved to the final design, and then hand painted
so each piece is a hand carved unique product
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Not only does this process protect
all endangered animals from harm, but results in a beautiful work of art at
very affordable prices.
Mammoth Tooth Ivory
The artworks are made of mammoth tusk, a very rare and precious material, buried deep within the Siberian permafrost for more than 10,000 years. Now extinct for thousands of years, the mammoth has a rich historical and antique value. The quality of mammoth tusk is as good as elephant ivory for carving, aesthetic characteristics and coloring. While saving lives of modern living giants, we are able to make use of our ancient natural treasures long buried and magnificently preserved under layers of tundra permafrost.
Mammoth tusk is specially treated for three years and passes through 15 stages of preparation before it's ready for carving. Ten different carving methods are utilized and the artists use up to 80 different instruments in their work, most of which they make themselves. According to centuries-old traditions, most of the work is done by hand, thus making each item a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The artists often integrate mammoth tusk with valuable woods, gold, silver, bronze and stone. Several artists even make customized bas-reliefs of famous people or individual clients. Their unique skill and fine craftsmanship produce a striking similarity between the bas-relief and the original, and their impressive imagination breathes life into the ancient material
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