The staff at Dingle Dry Goods has a bunch of quick ways to determine whether certain items may need a second look, to be tested further or looked at by someone with expertise in that area. These SnapTests are designed not to completely and accurately identify anything but to decide whether there is a possibility that it is made of a desirable material by using your instantly accessible senses (sight, touch, smell...) to immediately screen the item for a few simple specific characteristics uniquely inherent either to the desirable material or their imposters.

For Ivory: (You may want or need a magnification tool at some point, but good lighting and close examination should get you started). Like a snowflake - often ivory has a discernable and amazing natural pattern to it. Nature has given ivory unique & intricate geometric designs. But unlike snowflakes, these patterns are not symetrical even though they are geometric. Instead the patterns are organically fluid resulting in a their own unique perfection. Many items that are thought to be ivory are actually bone so a quick "bone test" looking for its common visible characteristics - veins and an imperfect absence of pattern - may be all that is necessary. Examine the largest area of smooth (not carved or broken) area on the item that you can find. Even if it is only a tiny sliver on the top of a bead above intricate carving - often enough that ia all you need to notice veins or patterns. If you don't notice veining and imperfect graining and/or you detect the possibility of a pattern as mentioned above - then you know to move of to actual tests or expert examination. If you notice nothing? It may warrant a further test but you will want to consider the possibility that it is a man-made material (a plastic, resin, etc.). Again - you are looking for signs to rule out ivory as a possibility by looking at it closely and using this test and commonplace knowledge and reasoning. Extra Tip: don't let cracks influence you, they are not necessarily results of veining, etc. - cracks & damage to both bone and ivory items will often look the same.

Good Luck from all of us at DDG - We hope you find a treasure!