AUTHOR'S PREFACE 



The publication of a new book on ivory may seem not only 

 uncalled for, but even in some degree presumptuous, when 

 so many excellent works are already at the disposal of those 

 who wish to acquire some knowledge of this interesting sub- 

 ject. 



To mention only a few of the leading writers on this 

 theme, we have the attractive and comprehensive book en- 

 titled "Ivories" by AKred Maskell,* and the masterly vol- 

 ume by Emile Molinier, "Les Ivoires," forming part of his 

 work "Histoire generale des arts appliques a rindustrie."t 

 Another work, one that is perhaps less widely known to the 

 general reader, is J. O. Westwood's "Descriptive catalogue 

 of the fictile ivories in the South Kensington Museum. "| 

 This scholarly treatise is in many ways a fit companion to the 

 studies of Maskell and Molinier, for as Westwood includes 

 in his survey the large collection of castings in the South 

 Kensington Museum, his book is exceedingly comprehensive. 

 Another writer who has done splendid work in this field is 

 the German, Hans Graeven, whose choice selection of pho- 

 tographs of the most representative ivory carvings in various 

 countries, as well as his numerous special articles on the 



*Alfred Maskell, "Ivories," London, Methuen & Co. [1905], xii, 444 pp., 88 pi., 4to 

 (Connoisseur's Library). 



fEmile Molinier "Les Ivoires," Paris [1896], 245 pp., ill., pi., folio; Vol. I of his "Histoire 

 generale des arts appliques a I'industrie." 



fj. O. Westwood, "Descriptive catalogue of the fictile ivories in the South Kensington 

 Museum, with an account of the Continental collections of classical and medieval ivories," 

 London. 1876, 24 photos, 9 woodcuts, imp. octavo. 



