Qualities of Ivory Sculptures

Ivory Sources

• True ivory comes from the tusk of an elephant or the elephant's extinct relative, the mammoth. Tusks are simply teeth that are elongated and protrude from the elephant's mouth.

  Elephants are now endangered species and protected under international law. As a result, trade in new ivory is banned by international conventions. This means that the only legal ivory for sale is antique -- though poachers still kill elephants and sell their tusks on the black market.

Imitation Ivories

• As ivory has become more rare and more expensive, new materials and imitation ivories have been created. These include ivory made from hippopotamus teeth, walrus tusks or animal bones. The hard nut of the South American tagua palm tree is commonly used to make imitation ivory known as vegetable ivory. Plastics and resins are often passed off as ivory to unsuspecting buyers.

  Imitation ivories share many of the characteristics of true ivory and represent a compromise between the desire for ivory items and the need to protect the elephant from extinction. For a collector looking for real antique ivory, however, it is crucial to distinguish between real ivory and imitations.

Ivory vs. Plastic

• The easiest distinction to make is between natural materials and plastic or resin imitations. Plastic is lighter than ivory, and will feel warm against your cheek. Ivory is heavy and feels cold. Molded plastic often displays a seam line. Cast resins usually have a telltale bubble or two, often on the base. Ivory has rings on it, like the rings of a tree, that are visible to the naked eye, and cross-hatches that are visible under a magnifying glass.

  As a last resort, the hot needle test can be applied: a hot needle will melt plastic, but not ivory.

Ivory vs. Bone

• Once plastics and resins have been eliminated, this leaves animal and vegetable products as possibilities. Bone is identifiable by the tiny canals that run through them. These canals will often turn dark as the organic matter in them decays, leaving dark patches or speckles. In bleached-bone pieces, the canals are still visible under bright light.

Ivory vs. Other Natural Products

• Distinguishing true ivory from a sculpture made of hippo tooth, tagua nut or other animal teeth requires careful inspection.

  Carefully examine a part of the piece that has minimal carving or detail. Use a magnifying glass and look for parallel lines that run the length of the original tusk or tooth.

  Once you've found these lines, look for grain lines running perpendicular to them. These grain lines distinguish elephant tusk from all other types of natural ivories (tagua, hippo tooth, other tooth) and synthetic ivory. Elephant ivory has a cross-section grain pattern that makes a series of small V's, called Schrenger lines. All other imitation ivories have circular or parallel lines instead.