Been working on this the last couple of weeks!

Wow, that is amazing.

Beautiful!
I wanted one that was getting auctioned off at the NTA national in South Dakota a couple years ago, but stopped bidding at $2000. IIRC I wasn't even close....lol.

That takes some serious skill right there! The detail is amazing!

awesome

You always amaze, Chuck. Is JR planning on expanding his collection this year, I wonder?

Seems like there has been a few new players the last couple of years. He might have difficulty! Unless he absconds with it before the fling. Just mailed it to him!

That is really nice! Was talking to Carl this weekend and he was telling me that your ivory traps are "functional" that if you press the pan down with your finger they will actually snap on your finger. I guess I always assumed they were just a nonmoving display piece. That is pretty amazing.

I carve the springs depressed these days and glue them open for display. The “working” traps I made got played with and eventually broke a spring do that is no longer my practice.

Superb !! You always amaze me with these traps.
Looks like it was modeled after a Triumph Master catch trap ?

Did that all come from that one tusk? Are you part indigenous?

The tusk was a fossil tusk. I ground off close to a pound of oxidized, delaminations on the base before polishing. The trap is a #3 triumph easy set, triple clutch.

As always you're handy work is simply amazing !!! I always thought the bidding war was between Jim M and JR but I could be mistaken .

Was this the one you are talking about

Another amazing replica for the fling! I would be interested to hear what the winning bid is when it is said and done.

I hope I live long enough to someday see one of those traps on antique road show and have them explain about the artist and value it at over $100,000.

...Then I can say I remember a time when I shared a meal of soft-shell clams boiled in an old soup can over our camp fire.

I fondly remember when I first met our Master Carver. He contacted me through a pm here and needed a hand "moving some ivory". We met a couple weeks later for a beer, and he said he was expecting some ivory that needed a ride to the barge.
I was expecting a couple of tusks or maybe even a couple of walrus heads. Next day I picked him up and we went to get "some ivory". He gave me a beautiful ivory carving of a bear, which still has a prominent place on our mantle.
We pull up to get his ivory, only to see a huge plywood box that nearly filled the bed of my 3/4 ton pickup bed! HOLY IVORY!
I am certain he carved many, many items from that load, though I never did get a look inside!

That is outstanding, and the attention to detail is fantastic. You are a true artisan craftsman!

The trap is now in the hands of JR. safely arrived in Fairbanks!

He is building quite a collection. Way to go JR.

LOL, Not his yet! The ownership will be determined this weekend!

oh, yeah.

Yeppers…..lol. IIRC it was someone from Alaska. Think it went for $6 or $9G???
I was sitting beside a rich fella from Washington State that was just tossing money out like crazy! I can’t remember what he paid, but he was the winner of this old looking stuffed fish among other things. Had some pretty cool stories and videos of dangerous hunts in Africa. I came back home with a new contact anyways.

ShakeyJake: that trap was commissioned by a fellow in Alaska for a donation to the NTA.

Is tomorrow the day the bidding starts on the ivory trap, or tonight?

WOW!! Whatever it brings at auction, it's not enough. That's pretty incredible craftsmanship. That's a generous donation!!

Tonight is the night! Not a 100% donation, I do receive some compensation. About minimum wage is how it works out!

Well, who rose to the top in bidding for the ivory trap? I suspect a few attendees have yucky feeling heads today, lol!

My thoughts exactly!

Well, who won, and how much?

I heard that Jim got this one for a little north of seven grand. I’m glad these things can benefit the ATA at this level.

Thanks, Chuck. Congratulations to you and the ATA.

Congratulations to Jim it's got a good home that's for sure !