ambergris info (whale vomit)

hi,

Anybody know of any tests for Ambergris (that are free) that aren't
the "heated wire" or the "white smoke" because i think i may have found some.


PS. ambergris is whale vomit which is used in perfume and is very valuable, hope i don't put you off using perfume.

Roswell.

um....that was off of Futurama. Its not really true.

well I used google, wich took me to WIKIPEDIA..

It is not vomit......it is a secretion from the sperm whales intestine.

WIKI said:
Ambergris occurs as a biliary secretion of the intestines of the sperm whale, and can be found floating upon the sea, or in the sand near the coast. Because giant squids' beaks have been found embedded within lumps of ambergris, scientists have theorized that the whale's intestine produces the substance as a means of facilitating the passage of hard, sharp objects that the whale might have inadvertently eaten. Ambergris can be found in the Atlantic Ocean; on the coasts of Brazil and Madagascar; also on the coast of Africa, of the East Indies, mainland China, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand and the Molucca islands. However, most commercially collected ambergris came from the Bahama Islands, Providence Island, etc. It is also sometimes found in the abdomens of whales.



OK so its not disgusting and gross whale puke afterall.
and yes you can buy it on Ebay!!

[edit on 14-4-2007 by theRiverGoddess]

How much did you find?

Seems as it's worth about 10-20 dollars per gram.
I don't know of any assays that might be free.
Do you know of, or know where you might find a marine biologist in your area?

They could give you an opinion that might help you decide to spend the cash for an accurate test.

Originally posted by theRiverGoddess
OK so its not disgusting and gross whale puke afterall.

Nope, it's just whale poop!

maybe they don't 'poop' and just have this stuff as extra floatation......

When the fish in my tank 'poop' it goes to the bottom and does not float......
so this has got to be 'Extra Special Smell Good Float Poop'
if it IS in fact poop

[edit on 14-4-2007 by theRiverGoddess]

Apart from the fact that they don't use it in perfume..

Why exactly was this thread, and I say that lightly, put in this section,
if anyhting it belongs somewhere in BTS.

I think the OP knows pretty much what it is.

But is interested in finding out, how to be sure what was found is the real thing!
at 20 bucks per gram, it's worth knowing.

Actually it is used for perfume.

But yes this shouldn't be in BB&Q.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Actually it is used for perfume.

But yes this shouldn't be in BB&Q.

You're kidding..

Well, I'm never wearing perfume/cologne again, not that I do anyways.

My mum and aunty find this stuff all the time.. actually they go out and look for it!
The last piece my mother found netted her $1500NZD (1,105.95 USD).
My aunty found one worth three times that.
All down at the local fishing spot - in Taranaki, New Zealand. Won't give away where though

They found a small chunk and when they submitted it, they were told it was part of a much bigger piece.. so they're always out on the hunt for 'the big one' ...

This is the piece mum found last week - worth $1400NZD:



'Tis valuable stuff..

[edit on 14/4/2007 by under4orce]

[edit on 14/4/2007 by under4orce]

Ambergris is found in lumps of various shapes and sizes, weighing from ½ oz (14 g) to 100 or more pounds (45.36 or more kg). When initially expelled by or removed from the whale, the fatty precursor of ambergris is pale white in color (sometimes streaked with black), soft in consistency, with a strong fecal smell. Following months to years of photo-degradation and oxidation in the ocean, this precursor gradually hardens, developing a dark gray or black color, a crusty and waxy texture, and a peculiar odor that is at once sweet, earthy, marine, and animalic. Its smell has been described by many as a vastly richer and smoother version of isopropanol without its stinging harshness.
In this developed condition, ambergris has a specific gravity ranging from 0.780 to 0.926. It melts at about 62 °C to a fatty, yellow resinous liquid; and at 100 °C it is volatilized into a white vapor. It is soluble in ether, and in volatile and fixed oils. Ambergris is relatively nonreactive to acid. White crystals of a substance called ambrein, which closely resembles cholesterol, can be separated from ambergris by heating raw ambergris in alcohol then allowing the resulting solution to cool.

...from: en.wikipedia.org...

I'd say the easiest test you could perform would be the reaction under temperature range, given the condition. Get a good flame source and cooking thermometer (or another that accepts high ranges) and test it. Any of the other methods listed above should work in conjunction. I've never tested a sample myself, but I see no reason why you couldn't.


[edit on 4/14/2007 by bothered]

I'd have to dispute the Wikipedia article. Ambergris is the "sperm" of the sperm whale -- not sperm as in humans, but a fluid found in their cranial cavity. Its theorized that the fluid is used in some way to transmit their "vocalizations", and sonar, much as the white whales (belugas) have the "mellon" on their heads.

Yes, it is used (or has been used) as perfume.

Yeah, ambergris is used alot in high-class perfumery, mainly as a fixative in musky or heavy perfumes. it is quite disgusting, which is why I prefer to make my own natural perfumes.

Ambergris is used in many different perfumes not just high priced ones.

Also, surprise to those who like to imbibe now and then, it is also used in liquors. Furthermore it is neither sperm nor feces.

If anyone here were able to smell it in its aromatic state you would be surprised at how much you enjoy the odor. Not the same smell but not unlike smelling the exhaust of leaded gasoline. (A reference for those of us that remember leaded gas and how we couldn’t resist standing behind our father’s car smelling those strange, delightful and brain damaging fumes.

Ahhh, those were the days! Eating paint chips and breathing asbestos…Good times….

Originally posted by jbondo
If anyone here were able to smell it in its aromatic state you would be surprised at how much you enjoy the odor. Not the same smell but not unlike smelling the exhaust of leaded gasoline. (A reference for those of us that remember leaded gas and how we couldn’t resist standing behind our father’s car smelling those strange, delightful and brain damaging fumes.

Ahhh, those were the days! Eating paint chips and breathing asbestos…Good times….

jbondo,

Thanks, I literally LOLed!

Indeed those were the days...and don't forget Testor's model glue, you really didn't mind when you bonded your fingers together

Fascinating quirky thread, learned a lot and laughed too

Originally posted by gottago

jbondo,

Thanks, I literally LOLed!

Holy Crap!

If I can make people laugh maybe I could become one of those famous "youtube stars"!

I had better high tail it over there pronto!

[edit on 14-4-2007 by jbondo]

The first reliable test of the substance should be "does it float in water." If it does, proceed to other steps.

Probably posted in a moment of elation at the anticipated fortune a good chunk of ambergris would bring in.


Hope it's a big piece of expensive whale secretion, that's like vomit that came out the wrong end and composes the most expensive ingredient in high end perfumes.....


Good Luck Roswell.

OK,

TheDesigner, actually it is true.

theRiverGoddess, vomit, intestine, what ever it still came out the same end.

spacedoubt,"How much did you find?" about the size of 2 car batteries.

iori_komei, actually your right this was initially supposed to be posted in BTS but due to an error on my behalf it was posted in ATS.

thanks, and keep those posts coming!!

Roswell.

[edit on 14-4-2007 by roswell1]