My father inlaw who died many years ago had this in his possession, he
was born in Calcutta and brought up in India.  Any idea what it is.
You turn the iory and the metal bit in the middle extends.

The picture can be found at www.otter.org/gus.html

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 17 Jul 2005 19:30 PDT

Hello paulyoxon-ga,

Take a look at these pictures. Do you think it might be a powder horn? Thanks.

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=100&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=antique++powder+horn

http://www.picsearch.com/search.cgi?q=antique++powder+horn

~ czh ~

Nope, Czh-ga, it is too small (photo life-size) and ivory, not hollow horn.
There is a toggle like that of a watchchain, appropriate to the size.
It looks like there are two little silver bells, but maybe they have
some use that I cannot fathom.

What use could the squared off little round end have?  Apparently it
can be retracted to protect it or protect things that could come in
contact with it.
OH, or is the little tip not round?  Maybe square?? A watch key?
Having it retract when turned the wrong way would be clever.

If it is round, could it be a prick for cleaning the powder hole of a
flintlock gun  - or something similar?
India, Calcutta?  

Myoarin

The bar looks like the bar on the chain of a fob watch
- designed to fit into a button hole

If the horn does not unscrew (and I doubt that it does) then I would
guess that it is purely ornamental/symbolic.

The mind boggles at the symbolism 
- perhaps your father-in-law's father was a bit of a lad

Howdy paulyoxon-ga,

Almost certainly a watch fob.  I am thinking a very small tusk or animal
tooth as well, so it might not be ivory.  As to the extension, perhaps
there something else on the end at one time, but regardless, I am guessing
a smoking tool, along the lines of a pipe tamp/stem cleaner, or a cigar
"hole maker" or similar.  Did your father-in-law partake of either?

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher