I would say that someone owns an elephant's tusk and proceeded to slice it up.

Note that the ivory is, as woodworkers would say, flat sawn. Old ivory was cut like a butcher would slice a salami. The nerve hole is normally seen.

Secondly, the carving is not the quality of what we see on legitimate chips.

Email Dale Seymour or Kenny Craig (email both is the best bet). They are Lords of the ivory, the definitive source for any and all ivory questions.