I just got word that my elephant is finally getting shipped from Zim. My plan of the tusks is simply to hand them on the wall horizontally, not bands at the base or anything, just displayed the way they came out of the elephant.

Do I need to do anything to the ivory to preserve it? Fill in the nerve cavity, etc?

Thanks,
Pete

I've worked in studios where we filled the hollow with plaster and a wooden block so they could be mounted in the upright position ... the wooden block allowing the tusks to be secured with screw through the display base.

For hanging on the wall, they can be filled with two-part urethanes foam C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y!

Or they can be left hollow ... first choice!

The only thing I have ever done to the outside of tusks was polish them real well with a floor paste wax, such as Johnson's Paste Wax that comes in the short round can. Apply the wax, let it dry, then buff it off until the tusks attain a nice sheen. This can be repeated if you like.

Remember the tusks are a natural "product" so sealing them will cause more problems than anything else. That means no varnish, lacquer, or acrylic sealers of any kind! The ivory needs to "breathe" And if they are sealed, will be unable to breathe and will age far more prematurely, developing cracks and splits.

As for maintenance, dust them once a week and they'll be around for a long, long time!

It's like I explain to all my clients, there are no shortcuts to success where these animal specimens are concerned, and sealing ivories is just a shortcut that will take its toll on your hard earned trophy.

John.