New Members El Credito Posted October 13, 2012 New Members Share Posted October 13, 2012 Hello. When my grandfather passed I was lucky enough to inherit some of his artwork as well as a few fossils. I do not know where this may have come from though I would guess New England or possibly somewhere in the pacific due to his travels. I wish I could provide more info but I do not have it. Any idea what this may be? Thank you, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members El Credito Posted October 13, 2012 Author New Members Share Posted October 13, 2012 I forgot to mention it's about 4 inches long, almost 2 inches wide and maybe an inch thick. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I think it may be a Sperm Whale tooth, but wait 'til some 'whalers' weigh in before you print a label "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) sperm Whale tooth, and illegal to own unless it's fossilized, and i dont think that one is. be careful who you show it to. Edited October 13, 2012 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moahunt1 Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 yep sperm whale!!! You sure its illegal to own or just illegal to sell? Hunted for fossils in:UK - Lyme Regis, Charmouth, The Thames and Hampshire (two trips) Egypt - Desert somewhere near Giza - Nummalites and petrified wood Australia - Lightening Ridge opal fields - opalised things!!!!USA - Florida- Gainesville creeks and Diving in the Santa Fe river Meg teeth and 10 000 year old mammalsNew Zealand- Around 30 sites visited and collected from. Including Chatham Islands. and now Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) it's illegal here in the U.S. to possess any parts of any un-fossilized marine mammal, unless you have a CITES permit, and they are hard to get, and expensive. i know first hand. Edited October 13, 2012 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moahunt1 Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Wow thats not fun for scrim shaw collectors. its not illegal to sell them here but illegal to export them! I have a few sperm whale teeth. they are highly prized for carving Hunted for fossils in:UK - Lyme Regis, Charmouth, The Thames and Hampshire (two trips) Egypt - Desert somewhere near Giza - Nummalites and petrified wood Australia - Lightening Ridge opal fields - opalised things!!!!USA - Florida- Gainesville creeks and Diving in the Santa Fe river Meg teeth and 10 000 year old mammalsNew Zealand- Around 30 sites visited and collected from. Including Chatham Islands. and now Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 most of the scrimshaw found in the states, is either done on plastic, or bone...or is an antique. here's my tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Lordpiney is correct...You can only own one of these if your tooth is pre registered and is 100+ years old.You can't even register a antique sperm whale tooth any more even if its a antique with documentation. So like he said be very careful who you show this to .....They will take it from you. Nice tooth Lordpiney TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Lordpiney is correct...You can only own one of these if your tooth is pre registered and is 100+ years old.You can't even register a antique sperm whale tooth any more even if its a antique with documentation. So like he said be very careful who you show this to .....They will take it from you. Nice tooth Lordpiney They will take it from you, AND fine you. lol. it's a federal offense, and carries a pretty hefty fine too. thanks bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 CITES listed, by international treaty. The likelihood for prosecution is low, as long as you're not trying to sell it or take it out of the country. Still, it is wise to avoid flaunting it, even if you possess it under the most innocent circumstances. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 They will take it from you, AND fine you. lol. it's a federal offense, and carries a pretty hefty fine too. thanks bud. Your Welcome .... Lordpiney A Virgina man was sentenced for trafficking in $70,000 worth of sperm whale teeth last last year .He only got a few months in jail and house arrest for a few more and $40,000 fine. it was this steep because he was importing them from places like the Ukraine and like Auspex said that its not very likely anyone will come after you for owning a tooth ,,,but why take the chance . I know of a few people that have found these teeth along Sandy Hook,NJ ,,,they use to process sperm whales there years ago and on occasion you can find bones and teeth after a nor eastern TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 ...A Virgina man was sentenced for trafficking in $70,000 worth of sperm whale teeth last last year... That is the kind of activity at which the law is aimed; possessing Grandpa's old keepsake is not an infraction that prosecutors are going to waste resources on. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordpiney Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 your 100% correct Chas. i didn't mean to come off too harshly. it's better for him to know the facts, before he possibly gets himself in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members El Credito Posted October 14, 2012 Author New Members Share Posted October 14, 2012 Thanks so much for identifying this for me and also warning me about who I show it to. Feels good finally knowing what it is! If I come across any other old fossilized keepsakes I'll be sure to return here. You guys have been so much more than helpful. Thanks again! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 CITES isn't quite that old, nor is the MMPA. Stuff prior to the mid 1970's is usually OK, and as others have indicated, unless you're shipping large volumes of material, uncle sam is not going to come knocking. Nice Physeter tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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