How do you tell the difference between fake and real ivory piano keys?
The difference between ivory and synthetic (celluloid or other plastics) is fairly easy. As a natural material, ivory has a grain to it, and no matter how bleached or polished it is, it still has a grain. While plastics, especially newer plastics do a good job of mimicking the natural material, it is still identifiable by the uniform coloring and no true grain. Ivory keytops are always made of two sections; a narrow strip toward the back fo the key (between the accidentals) and a wider piece at the front. Keytops were made this way to conserve as much ivory as possible. Synthetic keytops are most often cast as a single piece. (keyfronts not withstanding.) .Ivory discolors unevenly. It may have a splotchy appearance. While plastics also tend to yellow over time, they will have a more uniform appearance. More difficult to detect is the difference between ivory and bone. And differences between elephant tusk ivory and walrus tusk ivory are impossible to detect. If there are small chips on
