How to Distinguish Real Ivory from Bones

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Ivory is a highly sought-after material known for its versatility, beauty, and cultural significance. As one of the most valuable and desirable substances throughout history, it has been extensively used in various applications, such as jewelry, sculptures, and musical instruments. However, due to the illicit trade and poaching of elephants, the use and trade of ivory have become highly regulated and restricted. Consequently, the market has been flooded with ivory substitutes, such as bones, which can easily deceive even the most experienced eyes. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to be able to distinguish real ivory from bones to ensure ethical sourcing and avoid counterfeit products. In this guide, we will explore key characteristics and techniques that can help one differentiate between real ivory and bones, allowing them to make informed decisions when purchasing or working with ivory-like materials.

Ivory is a material obtained from the tusks and teeth of elephants, whales and many other animals. Although tusks and bones may be similar in appearance, weight, and feel, tusks are valued higher and are closely managed. Start by identifying the item as bone or ivory rather than synthetic or fake. You can then look with a magnifying glass to distinguish these two materials.

Table of Contents

Steps

Check with magnifying glass

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Use the right magnifying glass to examine the item. Magnifiers come in a variety of sizes with a number of different features. For bone or ivory items, a standard hand-held magnifying glass is suitable. It allows you to see enough detail to distinguish these two materials and is easy to control the viewing distance. Hand-held magnifiers are available online or in some hobby and hobby stores. Some decoration stores also sell them.

• You can also use a microscope, but these are often more expensive than magnifying glasses, especially if your bone or ivory item is large.

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Hold the magnifying glass over the item. Hold the item to be tested in your hand or place it on a flat surface. Hold the magnifying glass over the object, a few centimeters at first. If necessary, move the magnifying glass closer until the details are in focus and intricate marks can be seen on the item. ^[1]

• If you use a microscope, follow the instructions for use and adjust the lens so that details appear clear and sharp.

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Look for tiny holes to confirm the item is a bone. Once the details are clear through the magnifying glass, look closely to see if the surface of the object has ridges or small holes. If the object has a porous surface, it is almost certainly a bone. ^[2]

• These holes look like very small dots on the surface of the item.

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Observe the ridges to identify the object as ivory. When examined under a magnifying glass, if it is real ivory, you will see ridges on the surface of the item. ^[3] The ridges of real ivory come in many forms, including straight, diagonal or circular lines.

Check authenticity

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Hold the item in your hand to gauge the weight. Ivory and certain types of bones are heavy and strong when compared to similarly sized billiards. If the item seems light, you can rule out it’s ivory, although it’s still possible bone. ^[4]

• Bones and tusks can weigh equally. An item that seems strong and heavy does not necessarily mean it is ivory. However, this is an indication that it is one of these two materials.
• If you’re not sure if the object weighs, use a scale to weigh it. Although the weight of different types of tusks can vary, common types such as ivory typically weigh around 0.64 kg for every 2.5 cm of length. ^[5]

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Observe the item under the ultraviolet lamp. Look to buy an ultraviolet light bulb or ultraviolet flashlight. If using an ultraviolet light bulb, install it in a table lamp, preferably in a room with some natural light. Turn on a desk lamp or ultraviolet flashlight. Turn off all other lights to make the room as dark as possible. With only UV light, look at the item and judge the color of the light. Real ivory and bone will glow white under UV light, while synthetic materials usually absorb a lot of light and will appear dull. ^[6]

• Although rare, some imitation or synthetic materials can also appear white under UV light, so it’s important to perform multiple tests to make sure your item is real bone or ivory.

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Touch the surface of the item to feel its smoothness and hardness. Swipe your finger across the surface of the item to gauge its smoothness and durability. Ivory and many bones are very smooth with a strong, hard and durable feel. If the surface appears rough, soft, or fragile, it is unlikely to be real bone or ivory.

• Although some bones can be as smooth as ivory, most are not. Bone is porous, and therefore usually slightly rougher than ivory. If an object feels like butter, it’s probably ivory, although you’ll need another test to confirm. ^[7]
• Although bone can be as strong as ivory, that is not always the case. You can easily break a small piece of bone, but with a small piece of ivory it is almost impossible.
• Be very careful when testing the hardness of the item, as bone or synthetic material can be easily damaged.

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Find natural yellow color due to time. Unlike synthetic materials (which are often made to retain color), both ivory and bone change color naturally over time. Although aged tusks and bones both turn yellow, the bones can turn light brown, red, white, or green. ^[8] If your item is yellow from time, it may be a sign that it is ivory or bone.

• Some imitations of ivory or bone are made in gold to look real. Therefore, you need to perform further tests to determine whether your item is bone or ivory and distinguish between the two.

Warning

• Some sources may suggest using a hot pin to distinguish ivory from bone, but this test can blacken and damage or damage the item and is not recommended by experts. ^[9]
• If your item is genuine ivory, you should confirm its legitimacy and find out what you are entitled to do with the ivory. African ivory is highly regulated and can only be sold legally if you can prove it was legally imported before January 18, 1990. ^[10]

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Ivory is a material obtained from the tusks and teeth of elephants, whales and many other animals. Although tusks and bones may be similar in appearance, weight, and feel, tusks are valued higher and are closely managed. Start by identifying the item as bone or ivory rather than synthetic or fake. You can then look with a magnifying glass to distinguish these two materials.

In conclusion, distinguishing real ivory from bones can be a challenging task that requires careful examination and knowledge of the various characteristics of both materials. By considering factors such as color, texture, weight, and the presence of Schreger lines, one can develop a more informed perspective on distinguishing between real ivory and bones. Additional methods, such as using blacklight or conducting a burn test, can further aid in the identification process. However, it is important to note that professional experts and specialized equipment may be necessary in certain cases to achieve accurate results. As the global demand for ivory continues to threaten many wildlife species, it becomes imperative to grasp the nuances and techniques behind distinguishing authentic ivory from bones to ensure responsible and ethical practices.

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