Skip To Content
Go to gemstones.com homepage
Sign In
Recommended searches
Gemopedia
  • Ruby
  • Sapphire
  • Tanzanite
  • Diamond
  • Emerald
  • Opal
  • Moissanite
  • Peridot
  • All Gemstones in Gemopedia
Shop Gemstones
  • Shop Jedora Gemstones
  • Shop JTV Gemstones
Videos
  • All About Black Diamonds
  • Unboxing a Million Dollars in Gemstones!
  • Unboxing Emeralds: Gemologist vs. Geologist
  • Unboxing Rough Diamonds
  • Unboxing Garnet: Rhodolite, Pyrope, Demantoid
  • Marvel Cinematic Gemstones
  • All About Pearls and How They're Made
  • Fun Facts About Tanzanite
  • Freshwater Pearls vs. Saltwater Pearls
  • All Videos
Articles
  • Gemstone Collecting
  • Gemstone Beauty
  • Gemstone Color
  • Gemstone Origins
  • Optical Properties
  • Rare Gemstone Collecting
  • Gemstone Luster
  • Phenomenal Gemstones
  • All Articles
Showcase Collections
  • Quartz Gemstones
  • Organic Gemstones
  • American Gemstones
  • Birthstones
  • Mineral Specimens
  • Colors of Tourmaline
  • All Showcases
About Us
  • About Us
Feedback
  • Survey
Account
  • Account Information
  • Author Biography
  • Articles
  • Gemstones Home
  • Gemopedia

Ivory

Organic

By Tim Matthews, JD, FGA, GG, DGA,
CEO and President of JTV (retired)
Published: June 2014
Modified: May 2022
Ivory Polished Ivory Rough Ivory Jewelry
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Copy Link
Table of Contents
  • General Information
  • Ivory Colors
  • Alternate Names
  • Countries of Origin
  • History
  • Care
  • Simulants
  • Species/Variety

Ivory has long been treasured for its beautiful white color and ability to be finely carved. As opposed to bone or horn, ivory is derived from the teeth and tusks of animals. Because of the devastating impact of poaching due to the ivory trade, the importation and sale of such materials is severely restricted or banned in many countries.

General Information

  • Classification
  • Optical Properties
  • Characteristic Physical Properties
  • Chemistry & Crystallography
Common Name
Ivory
Species
Organic
Transparency
Translucent - Opaque
Refractive Index
1.520-1.550
Polariscope Reaction
Aggregate (AGG)
Fluorescence
SWUV: weak to moderate bluish white or violet blue
LWUV: weak to strong bluish white or violet blue
Pleochroism
None
Hardness
2-3
Streak
White
Specific Gravity
1.700-2.000
Toughness
Fair
Inclusions
Elephant and mammoth ivory will have wavy or intersecting curved lines in a v shaped pattern called engine turning effect. Mammoth or Moscow ivory tends to have more cracks than modern ivory. Walrus ivory or sea ivory is oval in cross section and the center has a rough bumpy appearance. Whale ivory comes from the teeth of sperm whales and can be found in antique Inuit carvings and scrimshaw. Narwhal ivory is hollow in the middle and tree-ring like growth patterns and a right to left spiral pattern.
Luster
Greasy, Waxy, Dull
Stability
Fair
Fracture
Splintery
Cleavage
None
Chemical Name
calcium hydroxyl phosphate
Chemical Formula
Dentine from teeth or modified teeth of mammals such as elephant, mammoth, hippopotamus, warthog, narwal or walrus
Crystal System
NA
Chemistry Classification
Organic

Ivory Colors

  • Brown Ivory
    Brown
  • White Ivory
    White
  • Yellow Ivory
    Yellow

Alternate Names

Babirusa Tusk Ivory, Boar tusk Ivory, Dugong Tusk Ivory, Elephant Ivory, Elk Teeth Ivory, Hippopotamus Ivory, Killer & Pilot Whale Teeth Ivory, Mammoth Ivory, Mastodon Ivory, Narwal Tusk Ivory ,Seal Teeth Ivory, Sperm Whale Ivory, Walrus Ivory, Warthog Tusk Ivory

Countries of Origin

Unknown

History

Elephant ivory was widely used for piano keys, billiard balls, combs, and decorative items from the mid-1800’s to the early 1900’s. Whale or walrus ivory were used by Whalers to create scrimshaw artifacts.

Care

Bone and ivory are very soft and may discolor with time. Discoloration is due to porosity/absorption of body oils or other substances from wearing. Be mindful of scratching. Avoid chemicals and ultrasonic cleaners. Requires gentle handling

Simulants

Vegetable Ivory

Ivory nut or vegetable ivory is a tagua nut which is the seed from some varieties of palm trees. It is white to pale yellow in its natural state. Since it resembles animal ivory it has been used as an ivory substitute in carvings, jewelry, buttons, and dice.

Vegetable Ivory Ivory
Vegetable Ivory Ivory
  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Vegetable Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.38
Toughness
Good

Species/Variety

Mammoth Ivory

Mammoths have been extinct for 10,000 years. The ivory has been well preserved for 20,000 years in the permafrost in Siberia and Alaska. Mammoth ivory has also been called fossil ivory, but the material is not truly a fossil because the organic material has not been replaced with minerals. It can be tan to dark brown, orange, blue to black in color. The brown or blue-green color is caused by staining by the iron phosphate mineral vivianite. This staining will not be found in modern elephant ivory.

Mammoth Ivory Ivory
Mammoth Ivory Ivory
  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Mammoth Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.77
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Elephant Ivory

Elephant ivory comes from adult African and Asian elephants. The trade in elephant ivory is restricted or prohibited due to the animals endangered or threatened status with CITIES. Elephant tusks were harvested for their use in decorative objects. Demand for ivory dates to the 1st century BC in Asia. Demand for Ivory in Europe and North America hit its peak in the mid 1800’s to the 1930’s. Current trade in the west is restricted by governmental laws and is discouraged by the environmental community.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Elephant Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.72
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Walrus Ivory

Walrus tusks and teeth are used in scrimshaw and carved for decorative items by the indigenous peoples of Alaska, Greenland and Russia. Walrus is a protected species in the United States it can only be harvested by Alaskan Natives that use it to create art objects. As of this writing walrus ivory harvested before 1972 can be traded in the United States. As Walrus tusks can grow to 3 feet in length and the teeth are typically under 2 inches.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Walrus Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.90
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Hippopotamus Ivory

Hippopotamus Ivory is used for knife handles and decorative objects. The teeth range from 6 inches to a foot from the gum line. Hippopotami are not currently endangered but are a listed species under CITIES. Tanzania and Uganda formally traded in Hippopotamus Ivory, but pressure has been put on these countries to end the trade of the material.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Hippopotamus Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.80
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Narwhal Ivory

Narwals are small artic whales. The males have a long, spirally twisted tusk that typically grows to 6 feet in length. Whales are a protected species and cannot be sold in the United States. The medieval Europeans thought the tusk was the horn from a unicorn.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Narwhal Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.90
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Sperm Whale Ivory

Sperm whales have the largest teeth of all the whale species. The teeth range from 2 to 6 inches in length. In the past whalers used their down time to carve whale teeth for scrimshaw art objects and knife handles. All whales are now a protected species and can no longer be hunted.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Sperm Whale Ivory
Specific Gravity
1.90
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Warthog Tusks

Warthogs are a variety of pig that come from sub-Saharan Africa. The tusks can reach 20 inches in length. The tusks are used for carvings, scrimshaw, and knife handles.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Warthog Tusks
Specific Gravity
1.90
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair

Wild Boar Tusks

Wild boar is a member of the pig family that can be found all over the world. The size of the tusk ranges from 5 to 18 inches.

  • Classification
  • Characteristic Physical properties
Common Name
Wild Boar Tusks
Toughness
Fair
Stability
Fair
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Sign up for the latest from Gemstones.com!

 
 
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
  • Request a Partner Invitation
  • Your Privacy Choices CCPA Icon

©  America's Collectibles Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.