How do you tell fake ivory from real?

Ivory comes from the teeth and tusks of animals and has been used traditionally by many different cultures. It can be very difficult to distinguish real ivory from synthetic or fake ivory. The problem is that real ivory varies greatly in color and grain. There are ways to tell fake ivory from real ivory just by doing a few tests. Of course, to be 100% sure, a chemical test must be performed. Ivory was used for centuries in Chinese dragon artwork and Eskimo carving.

Most fake ivory is made from plastic or a resin from old ivory that is ground up and mixed with another synthetic material. Bone carvings are also easily confused with ivory carvings. Bone carvings are generally much less valuable than ivory ones. Plastic and resins are usually softer than real ivory. Looking at the bone under magnification, you will see a lot of pitting, something real ivory will not.

The pin test can help you determine the difference between plastic, synthetic, bone, and ivory. It is best to perform this test on the bottom of the object that is not visible, as it can damage plastic objects. Heat a needle until extremely hot and touch the needle against the object you are testing. A hot needle cannot penetrate real ivory as it would plastic or resin. When you touch a bone with a hot needle, smell the area you touched. It must have a very particular smell like burned hair. When you touch the ivory with a hot needle, you will smell something more like a burning teeth smell like at the dentist’s office. Passing this test is a good indication that you have real ivory.

If you are collecting ivory, a 15x magnifying glass is a must and an ultraviolet light is recommended.