As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
In the history of Africa and the trade under Muslims, which was overtaken by the Europeans, the craft of ivory, was the foundation of commerce, before the blood diamond. What the market is now, is not as then in the ivory show. Ivory was an implement used primarily for European use, as who else played billiards and played pianos.
If one searches a modern reference, nothing has changed. Ivory is still the product of the affluent feudal few of the West. For all the railing of the Ivory Trade, if there was not a market, there would not be an ivory trade.
Commercial uses of ivory include the manufacture of piano and organ keys, billiard balls, handles, and minor objects of decorative value. In modern industry, ...
Large tusks were dear, small ones com- paratively cheap. While the other Arabs purchased the dearer large tusks, Tippoo Tib decided to buy the smaller specimens, and in doing so made a lucky speculation, as was shown later on the coast.
As a rule large tusks, be it said, are more ex- pensive, and of these, again, the soft ones, as being easier to work, are from 20 to 30 per cent, dearer than the hard ones.*' Among the soft tusks the following distinctions are made : Large tusks of best quality and slightly curved, suitable for making billiard-balls, have been quoted of late years at from 114 to 145 dollars (£17 to £23) per frasila (35 pounds). The next best kind, which is par- ticularly suitable for piano keys, is called, because it is principally exported to Europe, ‘ Bab Ulaia,’ and of late years has fetched from 105 to 130 dollars (£15 to £20) per frasila. A third kind is exported to India, and is therefore called ‘ Bab Cutch,’ and is used for the making of arm and leg rings. It fetches from 95 to 113 dollars (£14 to £17). Small tusks, •which are obtained from the younger elephants, are
relatively much cheaper, yet they may also, under certain circumstances, reach high prices. As they are often used as ornaments when mounted in silver, the attractiveness of their shape and the fancy of the purchaser are the chief factors in determining their price.
It is odd that ivory does make most things pretty. Elephants, pool tables, pianos. Not so much Michelle Obama.
agtG
