28. Warthog Tusk Figural Cane-Ca. 1900-Large wild boar tooth carved with an alligator, faux sprig ebony shaft and a metal ferrule. The reptile has an impressive head and powerful jaws and its body with thick and scaly skin and mighty claws lends it a ferocious personality and the familiar primal appearance. An American identity is apparent on the profile of this cane which survived well over an entire century of age in original and excellent condition.-The Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the Desert Warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia. The common name comes from the four large, wart-like protrusions found on the head of the warthog, which serve as a fat reserve and are used for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defense against predators, the lower set can inflict severe wounds. -Warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth. The tusks, more often the upper set, are worked much in the way of elephant tusks with all designs scaled down.-H. 5 ½” x 2 ¼”, O.L. 35”-$1,000-$1,400