Sawasdee Khrup,

I acquired some beautiful beads yesterday from a Chiang Mai dealer who I've known a long time (in other words, when he says they are not "plastic," I believe him). He told me they were made from "gradook plaa," (fish bones), and the name of the fish in Thai was "plaa wan" (sounds like the same tone as in "wan" as in "sweet").

My attempts to learn more about the fish did not yield much more information other than that it was a very big fish, and not a river fish; i.e., an ocean fish, I assume. On close inspection with a 10x loupe, the beads appear to have some internal striae similar to the "lines of Retzius" seen in elephant ivory, and the striae are random enough, in intensity, frequency, and form, from bead to bead, to suggest natural origin.

Could these be whale bone ? Narwhal ivory is an attractive hypothesis, but one I wouldn't entertain since real narwhal ivory would be much more expensive, and, imho, unlikely to be on offer here.

So, who's the Fish ? Or is this just a "fish story"

Appreciate any comment/translation.

thanks, ~o:37;

Probably ปลาวาฬ /plaa waan/ (mid tone on both words), Thai for "whale". So, whale bone.

"wan" is the common Thai pronunciation for "whale" so maybe you really do have some scrimshaw.

A" fish named wan da"