Help

[Rspencer91]

Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to read my email.  I am 15 and I love antique tools.  I recently came across a folding rule I my grandfather's tool shed.  I am wondering if anybody can help me.  It has no maker's Mark.  It appears to have brass fittings.  It is four fold and is 24 inches long.  I was wondering if anybody could help me with an approximate age and material. Is it wood or bone? Or is it a more modern plastic?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rspencer91

[Rspencer91]

It tells me my photo makes the file too large.

[Papaw]

Welcome to Tool Talk! We will try to help you ID your rule. Take several photos from all angles and post them in small enough size for the software to handle- generally 640x480.
Read this thread about picture posting- http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=61.0

[Rspencer91]

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=157btah&s=9#.VtAvKfCs-rU
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2mdmgc3&s=9#.VtAvufCs-rU
Here's some pictures

[kxxr]

[dowdstools]

That is an ivory rule with German Silver (nickel silver) fittings. Nice find!


Lynn

[Rspencer91]

That is an ivory rule with German Silver (nickel silver) fittings. Nice find!


Lynn

Wow. Thank you. That is awesome, any idea of age?
Rspencer91

[Nuts]

Watch this search on ebay, the pics in the ads might let you identify it, will also give you an idea of value.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=folding+rule&_sop=10&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_PrefLoc=2&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xfolding+%28rule%2Cruler%29&_nkw=folding+%28rule%2Cruler%29&_sacat=0

[Sudsy]

If that's real elephant (or any animal) ivory, you won't find it on Ebay. Ebay doesn't allow the listing of anything real ivory based.

I can tell you that you should bring to somewhere to be professionally appraised as it could be worth beaucoup $$$$$

[Rspencer91]

If that's real elephant (or any animal) ivory, you won't find it on Ebay. Ebay doesn't allow the listing of anything real ivory based.

I can tell you that you should bring to somewhere to be professionally appraised as it could be worth beaucoup $$$$$

Thanks.  I've seen them running for $100 at the low end on other sites, some are running upwards of $800

[Nuts]

ebay does have a ban on listing ivory, that's why most are listed as "bone".

[Billman49]

If ivory also be careful if/how you sell it - importing/exporting ivory objects, even antique ones if fraught with problems. I've heard of US Customs wrecking antique tools being sent from the UK to the USA to cut off the ivory parts...

[leg17]

Watch this search on ebay, the pics in the ads might let you identify it, will also give you an idea of value.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=folding+rule&_sop=10&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_PrefLoc=2&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xfolding+%28rule%2Cruler%29&_nkw=folding+%28rule%2Cruler%29&_sacat=0

Add the word " bone " to this search and check title and description.
Might find that helpful.