Help needed in finding out about this item !

[plusizeglamor]

I have this very old and very awesome litle monk hand carved figurine, I do not know what it is made of, whether stone, bone or ivory, and it has the initials G.R. in it on the back. Can anyone help me determine what material this is and what the Initials G.R stand for, I would assume it is the one who carved it, I will attach a photo. Any assistance would be great !

[deltadelta48]

What a mysterious little cutie! Try using magnification on it. Ivory shows a grain with tiny little darker flecks or lines in it. Usually the older stuff is yellowish and it is ligher in weight than stone. Bone is lighter than stone too, but I am not sure what it looks like closeup.

If your photo is true to color, it looks like stone, marble, or something like that to me. If it is heavy, good case for stone. Not yellow enough to be older ivory.

Strikes me as being a 1940s or 1950s style character when Brother Juniper was a popular comic strip. Looks a bit like him. Is that what you were thinking when you said it was very old?

I am sure someone with more expertise will have more info.

[astral276]

Google to the rescue? http://www.asianartmall.com/refivory.htm

[plusizeglamor]

I'm all googled out and ask.com and many other search engines. I don`t even remember how I aquired this but it has been moved around from one end of the house to another, and for christmas my hubby got ne a large curio and this has resurfaced again, it ha s always intriqued me and struck me as unique little happy monk. But thanks for helping...

[plusizeglamor]

well this definitley has lines in it and not heavyenough to be stone, I was thinking more along the lines of jolly ol Friar Tuck. It could possible be ivory, or soapstone ? I'll just keep my eye on it this time, till it gets moved again out of sight. ha ha ha . Thanks for the rsponse. Merry Christmas.

[deltadelta48]

Wow, info was really great. Schrager lines, I thought they were specks! Thanks for the info even if it could not be IDed. Still really cute.