Horn, commonly used in buckles, brooches, combs and hair ornaments was usually ox-horn, although it could be from any animal. With colors ranging from nearly colorless to deep rich browns, low density, lightweight horn can be carved and formed easily and has been prized for centuries. Nontraditional materials such as horn were often used in Art Nouveau jewelry. Perhaps the finest expression of this material as used in jewelry is realized in the pieces by the French jeweler, René Lalique. Gaillard also used horn with fabulous results. Horn carving c.1900 was often carried out by Japanese craftsmen working in Paris.