Ivory Grips Found-Need Info

[Icemant23]

Hello to all-

I found a pair of Revolver grips among my dads old stuff. I have been searching the forums and have found some very useful information on them, but wanted to reach out for opinions. Here is what I have figured out so far:

1) The material is not synthetic. From what I can tell they are either bone or Ivory. I used the hot pin test, and they did not show any marking after being exposed to the needle.
2) I doubt the medallions are original. They protrude a bit from the grip, and from what I understand those shipped from the factory are all recessed.

Questions:

1.Can anybody shed light on the frame these grips would go on?

2. Did Smith and Wesson ever ship such a grip with the checkered pattern in ivory?

3. Looking to sell, is there a price these items typically fetch?

Thanks in advance- Great Forum!

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! These appear to be for a J or small frame, square butt. If the maker was imitating this style of factory checkering, it would have been well past the era of special order stocks (1967 or later).

They appear to be bone, not ivory, from the photos, but sometimes it takes an in-person exam to be certain. Because of this, it's difficult to estimate a value. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Icemant23]

Thank you for the response! Just out of curiosity what tells you they are bone instead of ivory?

 

[arjay]

What does the bottom look like?

 

[DocB]

I'm not seeing a lot of grain. Yes, as arjay said, you need to look at the bottom.

 

[Geo. T.]

My 2 Cents!

If the bases have square wood like grain then it would be ivory!
They actually look like Polymer grips to me. Bone or Ivory would have yellowed some and slight cracks might also be expected.

Good Luck! Geo. T.

 

[Icemant23]

I appreciate the help- here are a few additional photos.

 

[DocB]

Well it's not ivory. I don't even think it's bone.

 

[Keith Brown]

Need photos that are in focus, especially of the bottom. The photo you do show of the base appears to show the Schreger lines, but is out of focus enough to not be sure. When elephant ivory is pushed hard against a polishing wheel on the end grain it tends to dish a bit between the lines. The color looks correct to me and the first two photos of the second four you posted have a familiar darker area that is commonly found when the finished surface is just below what was the tusk surface or "bark". Don't give up on them yet.

 

[murphydog]

Keith knows a bit about stocks, and materials - trust what he says!

 

[RKmesa]

For what it's worth, they look like ivory to me.

 

[RILEY31]

They are ivory

 

[BOMBTEC]

The easy way to tell if it is real Ivory or not. Is to heat a pin red hot and touch it to the inside of the grip. If it's real Ivory where the pin touched will smell like burnt hair. As the Ivory is a hair material.

 

[fat tom]

The easy way to tell if it is real Ivory or not. Is to heat a pin red hot and touch it to the inside of the grip. If it's real Ivory where the pin touched will smell like burnt hair. As the Ivory is a hair material.

You might want to actually READ the OP's initial post.
f.t.

p.s. They are ivory.

 

[Mblhopo]

Yes they are Ivory!!..........unless they are a really really good fake, but I don't think so. I still think there Ivory...................M*

 

[gmborkovic]

Take a look in an old Gun Digest or Stoeger Catalog or Shooters Bible from the 40s and 50s. The machine nut in the left grip may be a clue.

 

[153]

I doubt that the stocks in question are very old. The biggest clue is the six-sided nut in the hole for the grip escutcheon, I see that alot in Asian made stocks ... of recent vintage.

 

[moralem]

The easy way to tell if it is real Ivory or not. Is to heat a pin red hot and touch it to the inside of the grip. If it's real Ivory where the pin touched will smell like burnt hair. As the Ivory is a hair material.

And if it is bone it will have the kind of smell that you encounter when the dentist is drilling on your teeth.

If it is plastic it will melt.

 

[moralem]

You might want to actually READ the OP's initial post.
f.t.

p.s. They are ivory.

It is not the visual inspection after applying the red hot pin that you are looking for, it is the smell.....the problem with this test is you have to have the pin really hot enough and you have to have a good sense of smell.

Plastic would have melted so they are either ivory or bone.

 

[shotgun693]

Get'm appraised at a reputable shop, in writing. If you want to keep'm you need the value for insurance purposes. If you want to turn'm, you could easily get a really nice rifle or handgun for'm.

 

[Icemant23]

Thanks for the information guys! Is there a vendor who specializes in these types that I could inquire about selling them?

 

[arjay]

I'd imagine a number of them would buy them,but they would offer wholesale value

 

[Icemant23]

Thank you for all the insight. I have been spending hours trying to get a good picture of the bottom. I ended up using my scanner at 1200 dpi and got a clear picture. I was able to increase the contrast in order to make the lines on the bottom more visible. They are clear to the naked eye, but very difficult to photograph. New Pictures are attached. I am thinking they are real ivory as well.
Thanks for the idea to look in past sports magazines, great idea.

 

[arjay]

looks like Ivory to me too.If you look on gunbroker under Ivory grips for a k frame,you should get an idea of current prices.I'd keep em!

 

[Buldurhm]

They are absolutely genuine ivory. Elephant ivory too. Not walrus.

 

[Cal-MI]

Yes they are Ivory!!..........unless they are a really really good fake, but I don't think so. I still think there Ivory...................M*

Celluloid from the 1800's and early 1900's can look exactly like ivory. But if you lick it, celluloid has a sharp characteristic flavor.

 

[PatriotX]

Celluloid from the 1800's and early 1900's can look exactly like ivory. But if you lick it, celluloid has a sharp characteristic flavor.

You know this post is going to turn someone into a griplicker...

 

[Icemant23]

Haha. No worried about them being synthetic!

Thanks, Any further info would be appreciated.

Tom

 

[chief38]

100% Ivory - and just so you know SOME Ivory examples sometimes show little grain for many years. Some show lots of it even when relatively new.

I've got a set on my M60-7 that are quite genuine and after a few years are only starting to show a small amount of grain. My SAA Ivory's have much more grain and did so from the get-go.

If you were to have those made custom today I'd guess they would run you over $1000.00 - $1200.00 with the checkering included - MAYBE even more!

 

[Icemant23]

You all have been great. I truly mean that.
Thank you,

Tom