I am going to Tanzania again in fall 2006. Elephant is on the top of my list. I am thinking I want to have the tusks sent back without any pollishing or mounting.
I think I would like them cleaned off in the field and sent back to me through the taxidermist in SA and I will probably chain mount them myself or make my own pedistal.

Is there anything that I HAVE to get done to the tusks. I like how they look in the natural state, I am only interested in preserving them and not looking for an artifical pollished appearance. I have no experience with ivory and I did not want to ask the taxidermist first.

Thanks HONKEY

Just a thought, I saw an entire elephant skull done, tusks and everything. It was very impressive. You might want to think about having the whole skull brought back. It would look good on a pedestal or mounted to a wall with high ceilings and a sort of base attched to the wall for the skull to rest and be supported on. I wish I could remember where I saw the picture of the skull, it was hanging over a rhino mount with a wooden pedestal type thing built for the wall (it looked like a giant wood piece of crown molding). As far as preserving the ivory, sorry I can't help you there.

Honkey,
I was lucky enough to take a nice bull in the Zambezi Valley last year and other than just cleaning them to remove blood, mud, etc. and the required Vet dip for little nasties, I am not aware of anything else that needs to be done before shipping them back.

As far as I know, they have to be cleaned completly in Africa to be shipped, this includes a polishing. Can't get them shipped unless they are clean

You don't need to get them mounted on anything, they "should" tape the ends so they don't get broke, and wrapped of packaging around them...

Thanks guys,