| The original palm trees grow to a height between 20 to 30 feet, mostly in tropical regions such as South America. They produce a nut or seed called a Tagua Nut. These seeds range from the size of a cherry to a grapefruit, with the average size of a walnut. At this stage, the nut has a milky sweet liquid center and is made of pure cellulose. When it ripens, it falls to the ground, where it is gathered and dried for four to eight weeks. After this process, they become as hard as rock and vary in color from blue-white to amber, with ivory-amber being the most common color.
The Tagua Nut also has a nickname called the “Vegetable Ivory”. This name originates from its similarity to the elephant ivory. Tagua Nuts have a similar cellular structure as elephant ivory, only it is even more dense and resilient. It also resembles ivory in color and texture. They have many other names in different countries around the world. For example, Columbia calls it “Tagua” and “Anta” and in Peru they it “Pullipunta”. However, its official botanical name is Phytelephas Macrocarpa Palmae.
For over two hundred years, ivory-carvers have substituted vegetable ivory for elephant ivory in their making of netsukes, dice, dominoes, chess pieces, umbrella handles, pipes, mah-jongg tiles, sewing needle cases, toys, buttons and the fine art of scrimshaw. Many religious figurines are also created from these brilliant Nuts. Due to its resemblance to elephant ivory, some merchants even deceptively sell them as real elephant ivory carvings. While they are great substitutes for real elephant ivory, some even treasure them more than elephant ivory itself; since they were carved from something as small and seemingly unimportant as a palm tree seed.
Our carvings are exclusive and superior because they are all carved from one seed, instead of parts of several seeds glued together. This means the artist’s work is much more delicate and detailed and requires much more skill, because they must depict all parts of whatever figurine clearly and perfectly onto such a small surface. This is what makes our products so special.
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