Ivory

A comprehensive study of every aspect of ivory, including animals from which ivory has been derived, their habitat, their conservation status today, and the uses specific to their ivory. The identification of the different types of ivory is dealt with in depth, as are its imitations, and the multitude of ways it has been worked and used—from carving and marquetry to the manufacture of black paint—and the methods employed. The problems of caring for, testing, and determining the age and authenticity of ivory are also covered. Ivory has been held in the highest esteem for many millennia and a section of this book is devoted to the global history of ivory worldwide, from the myths and beliefs held by prehistoric man, through its utilitarian uses in the Arctic and beautiful carvings in Gothic-era Europe, to its connections to wars, the slave trade, and religion. Written in an easily accessible style which includes quirky facts as well as scientific ones, with a wealth of fascinating photographs, this is much more than just a reference book—it is the whole story.

Maggie Campbell Pedersen is a qualified gemmologist specializing in organic gem materials. Her work includes identifications, teaching, writing, and constant research into all aspects of the subject. She is an accredited lecturer for NADFAS (the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies), and a regular contributor toGems and Jewellery, the journal of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. She is the author of the bookGem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin and the editor of Organic Gems—an online reference source and information center. Maggie is also a qualified commercial/industrial photographer, and has worked in various places, assisting in conservation, studying elephants, cheetahs, and a variety of other animals.