This is a carving of the Indian goddess Saraswati. I believe it to be ivory from the hole through the bottom center as well as the irregular circular lines on her stomach and face, although I am not certain. Unfortunately, I have almost no information on it other than that. I actually purchased it from a Salvation Army a while back and assumed it was plastic, but I thought it was lovely. I didn't see its number marking or the hole in the bottom until I peeled off the price tag. I was hoping that someone could give me a clue as to whether or not it is ivory and maybe a way to identify it?
The carving measures 7in high and is very detailed. The discoloration makes me wonder if it is truly ivory, or was intentionally made to look that way. I have not cleaned it since I don't know what it is, so some of the discoloration may actually come off when cleaned. The piece is extremely thin in depth, almost like the overall piece is blade shaped.
I'm sorry I don't have more information to go on! I'm turning to this group because in all my years of working with antiques, this is the first item that has stumped me. Thank you for your time and help!
