The Thing: accessorizing with horns, tusks and 150-million-year-old dino bones
The Thing: accessorizing with horns, tusks and 150-million-year-old dino bones
The newest way to stand out amid the glittering crowd at charity bashes? Sport a bauble made from a loonie-sized chunk of stegosaurus bone. Lately, the city’s socialites have been trading gemstones for Flintstonian jewellery crafted from horn, bone and even fossilized bits of woolly mammoth and dinosaur (all ethically sourced, naturally). The look evolved out of Toronto’s years-long love affair with animal trophies, a fixation that has half the city’s decor shops peddling faux deer, antelope and rhino busts. Unlike a kitschy cardboard moose head, however, these zoological trinkets aren’t cheap—the rough-textured raw materials require an artisan’s touch to tease out their glossy beauty. The result: pieces that perfectly straddle the line between accessory and artifact.
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- 262787
- New York–based jeweller Monique Péan works with pieces of fossilized dinosaur bone that are too small for museums. $9,950. <em>Holt Renfrew, 416-922-2333.</em>
- (Image: Raina and Wilson)
- This Old Thing
- This Old Thing
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- 262788
- The barrel on William Henry’s fountain pen is made from 6,000- to 10,000-year-old fossilized walrus tusk harvested in Alaska and Siberia. $1,925. <em>Damiani Jewellers, 15 Jevlan Dr., 905-850-4653.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Polar Molar
- Polar Molar
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- 262789
- Dunhill’s buffalo horn cufflinks provide a subtle dose of wrist flair. $285. <em>Finch Centre Jewellers, 2563 Major Mackenzie Dr., Maple, <br /> 905-832-2753.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Off the Cuff
- Off the Cuff
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- 262790
- A necklace by Lanvin combines wood, leather, crystals, brass and polished horn. $2,905. <em>The Room, 176 Yonge St., 416-861-6251.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Hot Collar
- Hot Collar
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- 262791
- Parker’s safety razor has an ox horn handle. $60. <em>MenEssentials, <br /> 412 Danforth Ave., 1-800-833-1055.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Close to the Bone
- Close to the Bone
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- 1000
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- 262792
- Vie-Long makes a hand-carved shaving brush that’s a luxurious addition to the morning routine. $210. <em>MenEssentials, 412 Danforth Ave., 1-800-833-1055. </em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Get a Handle on It
- Get a Handle on It
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- 262793
- Gucci’s silver horse bit ring culminates in a sizeable hunk of water buffalo horn. $590. <em>European Jewellery, 220 Yonge St., <br /> 416-599-5440.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Bits and Pieces
- Bits and Pieces
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- 262794
- Monique Péan sets diamonds and fossilized walrus ivory in recycled gold. $6,220. <em>Holt Renfrew, 416-922-2333.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Tusk Force
- Tusk Force
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- 262795
- Most so-called horn-rimmed frames are acetate. Not this buffalo horn pair by Lindberg. $1,165. <em>Josephson Opticians, 60 Bloor St. W., 416-964-7070.</em>
- (Image: Carlo Mendoza)
- Horn again
- Horn again
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. The look evolved out of Toronto’s years-long love affair with animal trophies, a fixation that has half the city’s decor shops peddling faux deer, antelope and rhino busts. Unlike a kitschy cardboard moose head, however, these zoological trinkets aren’t cheap—the rough-textured raw materials require an artisan’s touch to tease out their glossy beauty. The result: pieces that perfectly straddle the line between accessory and artifact.
See all 9 pieces »
[gallery columns="6" ids="262787,262788,262789,262790,262791,262792,262793,262794,262795"]){kind=link}
Ethically sourced, naturally? I call BS on that. Where can you ethically source rhino or elephant horns and tusks. Nowhere. Stop promoting this garbage.
these items encourage a fashion for harvesting animals for jewellery – it doesn’t matter how “ethical” they may seem – we will soon be back to wearing ivory again – no need for these evil items with all the synthetic materials available