[Artemisia] Semi-OT: Ivory Test?

[L.J. Richards]

There is ivory, bone that looks like ivory but doesn't have the same 
striations, French Ivory (a type of early plastic made to "Look" like 
ivory), Bakelite (a very sturdy and almost fireproof plastic) (around the 
1930s), and cheaper plastic (a/k/a PVC - polyvinylchloride).  Careful what 
you inhale!  "French Ivory" looks nice, is plastic, usually what you find is 
from the 1900-1940s.  There's a lighting test I believe you can do and I'll 
try and look it up for you later this week because I'm not into doing the 
pin bit.  Some of the early plastics are even nastier than PVC, such as 
cellulose nitrate (the worst) and cellulose acetate.  If it is 
'shredding'/flaking, it's plastic and has no cure.  If it's cellulose 
nitrate it destroys anything it's near.  Even some early rubber items (such 
as jewelry) can look like ivory but at this date will have a different feel. 
How cold or hot it is can often tell you whether it is ivory/bone, plastic, 
wood, etc.  (But that's more story than I have time for.)

YIS,
HE Bronwen (who took a plastics conservation course several years ago and 2 
hours into the 1st day wanted to NOT know anything about plastics! thank you 
very much.  They are a pain-in-the-b--- to care for in a museum collection!) 
(ha)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <grvsmith at wyoming.com>
To: "Kingdom of Artemisia mailing list" <artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org>
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 4:02 PM
Subject: Re: [Artemisia] Semi-OT: Ivory Test?


> You can heat up a pin till it is red hot and apply it to a small 
> unnoticeable area.......
> if it's ivory it should smell like burnt bone (or tooth).
> If it's epoxy or some such it will smell like burnt plastic.
>
> Frideger
>
> --- dtavares1 at hotmail.com wrote:
>
> From: "Dawn Tavares" <dtavares1 at hotmail.com>
> To: artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org
> Subject: [Artemisia] Semi-OT: Ivory Test?
> Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:00:51 -0600
>
> Fair cousins and artisans,
>
> Is there a simple, non-destructive way to test for ivory vs. plastic? This
> weekend I had the good fortune to pick up a baggie of wooden thread 
> winders
> at a small antique shop. The bag also contained a short, decoratively 
> carved
> bodkin and three of what look like simple thread spools for bobbin lace. 
> The
> discoloration and wear patterns make me think they're genuine ivory.
>
> The tools look old enough to be Victorian, and Bakelite didn't come into
> common use until the...1930s, I think. By then decorative handsewing and
> lacemaking had fallen out of favor. So I'm reasonably certain, but I'd 
> like
> to have some empirical data on my side.
>
> Whether ivory or plastic, I'm happy with my find. I picked up the whole
> package for a buck(!).
>
> Warrrrr! **Shopping!!*
>
>
> Aurora de Portugal
> BLS
>
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