You just bought a vintage piano on Craigslist, or maybe you inherited your grandmother’s upright. The keys look old, but are they made of plastic, or are they genuine elephant ivory?
It is the most common question we get at Savvy Pianist. And it matters. It is not just for bragging rights; cleaning ivory the wrong way can destroy it.
Put down the lighter (we will explain why later) and look closely. Here is how to identify what you have without damaging your instrument.
The “Timeline” Shortcut (Check the Date)
Before you even look at the keys, look at the serial number and look it up online. You can often save yourself the trouble just by knowing when your piano was built.
- Pre-1950s: High chance of Ivory. (Most American manufacturers transitioned to plastic in the mid-1950s).
- Post-1956: Almost certainly Plastic. By 1956, Scale or chord containing a major third. In Western music, usually associated with brightness, stability, or...">Major brands like Steinway and Mason & Hamlin had fully switched to plastic keytops.
- Post-1989: 100% Plastic/Synthetic. The global CITES ban on ivory trade took full effect in 1989, ending the era of ivory keys for good.
Test 1: The “Hairline” (The Dead Giveaway)
This is the easiest visual test. Genuine ivory keys were almost always made in two pieces: a wide front piece (the “head”) and a narrower back piece (the “tail”).
Look closely at the white keys:
- If you see a fine horizontal line splitting the key across the middle (right where the black keys end), it is Ivory.
- If the key is one solid, smooth piece with no line, it is likely Plastic.
Test 2: The “Grain” (The Fingerprint)
Ivory is a Sharp or Flat), restoring a note to its original Pitch.The Savvy...">Natural material (tooth), just like wood. It has a grain.
- Ivory: Look at the key under a bright light or magnifying glass. You will see a subtle, wavy grain pattern. It looks almost like a fingerprint or wood grain.
- Plastic: It will be perfectly smooth and uniform. There is no randomness to the surface.
Test 3: The Color (The Patina)
- Ivory: Over time, ivory absorbs oils and reacts to sunlight. It tends to Turn a creamy yellow, often unevenly (the center keys used most might be whiter than the high treble keys).
- Plastic: Usually stays uniformly white. If plastic yellows (common in cheap 1960s plastics), it tends to look “flat” or orange-ish. It lacks the depth of ivory.
Test 4: The “Touch” (Melody, harmony, Rhythm). Examples include Monophonic,...">Texture)
While your eyes are the best tool, your fingers can tell a story too.
- Ivory: It feels porous, dry, and has a natural “grip” that absorbs sweat. It rarely feels slippery.
- Plastic: It feels smooth, sealed, and slick. If your fingers are sweating, they will slide right off a standard plastic key.
The “False Alarm”: Yamaha Ivorite
If you have a high-end Yamaha (like a C-Series or S-Series grand), you might be confused. The keys feel porous and grippy (like ivory) and have a matte look, but there is no “hairline” split.
This is likely Ivorite (or a similar synthetic like Kawai’s Neotex). Manufacturers developed these materials specifically to mimic the grip of ivory without the environmental cost. Treat these like plastic, but avoid harsh chemicals.
The “Hot Needle” Test (Why You Should NEVER Do It)
Old-school forums will tell you to heat a needle and poke the key.
- Theory: If it melts, it’s plastic. If it burns or smells like bone, it’s ivory.
- Reality: You are damaging your piano. Even if it is plastic, you now have a hole in your key. Do not do this. Your eyes are a better tool than a lighter.
The Million Dollar Question: Is It Worth More?
So, you have confirmed you have real ivory. That means your piano is a goldmine, right?
Short Answer: No. Having ivory keys does not increase the monetary value of a used piano. In fact, it often hurts the resale value.
- Maintenance: Ivory is brittle. If a key chips, finding a matching replacement is nearly impossible and expensive.
- The Law: You cannot legally sell or ship a piano with ivory keys across international borders without complex CITES permits. Many pianists avoid ivory just to avoid the legal headache.
The Ugly Truth: Why We Stopped
Finally, it is important to address why we don’t use ivory anymore. We also need to explain why that is a good thing.
The “romantic” notion of ivory keys comes from a brutal history. It required the slaughter of elephants solely for their tusks. By the mid-20th century, populations were decimated. This led to the necessary global bans we have today.
But what about the sound? There is a myth that ivory keys “sound better” or make you play better. This is nostalgia, not fact.
- No Acoustic Benefit: The covering of the key has zero impact on the hammer hitting the string. Ivory sounds exactly the same as plastic.
- No Performance Benefit: Modern high-end synthetics (like Ivorite) offer the exact same tactile grip as ivory, but they are durable, consistent, and ethical.
The industry didn’t just switch to plastic to save money; they switched because modern materials are superior. They don’t crack, they don’t yellow, and they don’t require poaching.
Ready to clean them? Now that you know what you have, check out our Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Piano Keys to see exactly which products are safe for your specific instrument.
