NPL displaying soapstone and ivory carvings

Bill DuVall of Newton, currently has his beautiful collection of soapstone and ivory carvings on display at the Newton Public Library.

DuVall collected most of the items during his time in the Army, in both Korea and Japan. The ivory is from Japan and was acquired before it became illegal to purchase or trade ivory. There are two ivory pieces from Alaska. Ivory is most often from elephant tusks, but can also be from bones or tusks of other animals, such as walruses or whales.

The soapstone was collected when he was stationed in Korea. Soapstone is known for its unique texture and has been used as a carving medium for thousands of years. Soapstone is a natural stone with natural color variations ranging from a gorgeous green to a beautiful brown — no two pieces are alike.