Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board

I recently bought a carved asian head (or bust) from an antique dealer here in San Diego. I loved it so much, but they knew nothing of what it was carved of, where it was carved..who it was carved by. If you guys can give me any answers, i'd be grateful! I have a photo of the bottom of the carving, also. I mean..this thing has an adam's apple! It's just a beautiful carving!

I doubt that it is actually "Carved".
It's more likely a molded plastic, resin or
polymer material which is meant to simulate ivory.
The darker colored variant is made to simulate wood or bronze.

Some of the more expensive pieces of this genre are made with a resin which is mixed with powdered bone. The mixture is then cast in a mold, and in some cases refined by hand to remove any artifacts from the mold process.
Some of the more sophisticated pieces are even painted with faux Schreger lines, the visual artifacts that are evident in the cross-sections of ivory.
Yours does not seem to be anything more than a molded decorator item.
FYI: 99% of all items on eBay which are described as ivory, are most likely faux ivory similar to your piece.

Cheers
Gman

Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board