How to Identify Elephant Ivory

Antique piano keys and other objects may be made from elephant ivory.

For thousands of years previous, tradesmen used elephant ivory for various crafts. The smooth, soft material was ideal for piano keys, billiard balls and buttons. East Asian artists in particular carved beautiful netsukes and other decorative figures out of ivory. Unfortunately, tradesmen obtained most of their ivory through the slaughter of endangered elephants. Regulations such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the African Conservation Act of 1989 halted the ivory trade and may have saved elephants from extinction. Although some continue to use ivory and trade it illegally, most use plastic or bone to create ivory-like objects. There are several ways to determine whether an object is made out of elephant ivory or something else.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Scale
• Ultraviolet light
• Magnifying glass

Instructions

1. Inspect the object's country of origin and age. If you're not sure about this information, consult with an antique appraiser. Objects produced before the mid-19th century are more likely to be ivory;- those produced after the mid-19th century may be plastic. Objects from North or South America produced before the mid-16th century cannot be made from elephant ivory, since ivory trade routes were not yet established.

2. Measure the object's length. Elephant tusks can be up to 3 yards in length. If your carving is long and continuous, it may be made out of elephant ivory.

3. Weight the object and compare its weight to known shell, horn or plastic objects of equal size. Ivory is heavier than these materials. A heavier object may indicate ivory or bone.

4. Examine the object under an ultraviolet light. Ivory, bone and shell will have a bluish white color, while vegetable ivory will appear orange. Plastic will absorb the light.

5. Inspect your object -- particularly flat and uncarved areas -- for a pattern of intersecting arcs with "v" or diamond shapes between them. This pattern is particular to mammoth and elephant ivory. Use a magnifying glass if necessary. Elephant ivory arcs have obtuse angles, while mammoth ivory has acute angles. An absence of the pattern does not rule out elephant ivory, however, since the pattern is only present on cross sections of the tusks. If you notice concentric circles, your object is made from hippopotamus ivory.

References

• PBS; The Ins and Outs of Owning Ivory; Ben Phelan' March 2009
• Smithsonian National Museum of African Art; Ivory: Identification and Regulation of a Precious Material
• Uniclectica: Identifying Different Types of Ivory