Original Item: One of a Kind. Here we have a lovely soldier’s “bring back”, in the form of a South African warthog curved tooth or tusk, dating we believe from the Boer War Era 1899-1901. Inscribed by a British soldier and brought home to remember his experience. Measuring just 9″ on the outside curved side. The tusk has been engraved with: 14 Dublin I.Y. (Imperial Yeomanry) and South Africa. There are also some Shamrocks on the outer flat side of the tusk, worn smooth by use digging in the soil.
Being very curved it only measures about 5″ across at its widest. No doubt the warthog contributed to a good field dinner for the unit.
The Second Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902) was fought between the British Empire and two independent Boer states, the South African Republic (Republic of Transvaal) and the Orange Free State, over the Empire’s influence in South Africa. The trigger of the war was the discovery of diamonds and gold in the Boer states. The war is also known as the Boer War, Anglo-Boer War, or South African War. Initial Boer attacks were successful, and although British reinforcements later reversed these, the war continued for years with Boer guerrilla warfare, until harsh British counter-measures including a scorched earth policy brought the Boers to terms.