Are the ivory keys on an old piano worth anything?

Ivory keytops are not valuable. Because the trade in ivory is completely outlawed around the world, the keytops are not valuable. But even if it was legal, remember that only a thin veneer on top of the key is made of ivory.

everettpianoservices.com - Everything you need to know about ivory keytops - Everett Piano Services

What piano should a beginner buy?

An acoustic piano is one of the best options for a beginner learning to play. There are however, things to consider. They need to be tuned...

Last updated Sep 8, 2019

Does piano raise your IQ?

Picking up a musical instrument gives you a higher IQ, according to a new study of more than 4,600 volunteers. New research has claimed that...

Last updated Sep 12, 2019

Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.

Learn More »

Promotion

Does your antique piano still have ivory keys? The ivory trade is outlawed around the world, so you may wonder if it's legal to own real ivory and what to do with it.

These are real ivory original keytops from an antique piano.

Piano companies no longer use ivory.

Real ivory keytops are naturally beautiful. They are usually made from the tusks of elephants or similar animals and filed into perfect rectangles for keytops. The tusks themselves are made from keratin, the same material as hair and fingernails, so they are long-lasting and unique as a fingerprint. Ivory is also slightly textured and reduces slipping and sticking as you play. However, piano manufacturers including Steinway stopped using ivory in 1956, and Asian and European brands ceased production of ivory keytops in the mid-1980s.

Buying and selling ivory is illegal.

The ivory trade was outlawed in 1989 thanks to The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Real ivory may not be sold, bought, given away, transported over state lines, or shipped out of the country. This applies to all ivory items — sculptures, embellishments, keytops, and even entire pianos with ivory keys. This total ban works hard to drive down demand for ivory and help save endangered elephants, allowing their population to return. Even black market demand has been slashed after the ban took place, and since then, elephant populations have more than doubled.

It is legal to own ivory.

Although you cannot buy, sell, or trade ivory anywhere in the world (including on the internet) you are permitted to keep the ivory that you already own. If you already have ivory on your piano, enjoy it! It's fine to play ivory keys, clean them, maintain them, and even pass them on to your heirs. It's better to enjoy the piece than waste it. Do not worry about the legality of owning ivory antiques and heirlooms; it is the trade in ivory that is illegal.

How to identify real ivory.

Here are a few simple ways to determine whether your ivory keytops are real or not. Real ivory turns yellow. The most obvious difference is color. Real ivory turns yellow over time; the darker the yellow, the older the keytop. If your piano keys were regularly cleaned for all these years and have been carefully polished, though, you may not notice this yellowing. There’s also some variation in color between keys or even within the same key. Real ivory has a seam. Old ivory keytops were always made with two parts: a larger rectangular tab in the front, and a narrower section in the back. These parts are called the head and the tail. Newer keytops are L-shaped, but the old ones were made in two segments and glued together. Real ivory has fine grain. Look closely at your keytops. Do you see a delicate grain pattern? They’re called Schreger lines, and they’re unique just like fingerprints. You can even use these lines to determine the species of animal your keys came from!

How much money should I spend on a keyboard?

You could potentially build a custom keyboard for as little as $100, but it's not recommended, because at that price you can get a prebuilt...

Last updated Dec 20, 2021

How many chords are in C major?

The key of C contains 7 notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B; we can mix up these notes to play melodies. If all of the your favorite pop songs were played...

Last updated Aug 24, 2022

Promotion

Real ivory reacts to UV light. Use a UV or blacklight and you’ll see real ivory fluoresce either bright white or a glowing violet-blue. Plastic, wood, and ivorite do not react. Real ivory doesn’t burn. We don’t recommend this technique since it will damage the keytop, but you can use a red-hot needle to determine whether your key is ivory or not. Touch the tip of the needle to the keytop. If it melts or burns, it’s plastic… and will probably need to be replaced! Notice the fine grain, seams between sections, and color variations between these keys.

Ivory keytops are not valuable.

Because the trade in ivory is completely outlawed around the world, the keytops are not valuable. But even if it was legal, remember that only a thin veneer on top of the key is made of ivory. The entire key isn't made of solid ivory. This thin veneer can chip, crack, and peel (remember, it's made of the same material as fingernails, so it's subject to the same kind of damage). This thin slice is such little material that even ivory artists probably wouldn't be able to work with it. Chances are your keytops are chipped, discolored, or altogether missing like these. Notice the exposed wood and cement wafers where the ivory part is missing.

But you can replace missing keytops with real ivory.

I am able to reattach ivory keytops that have fallen off. Save broken pieces that have fallen off or any salvaged ivory. If you prefer modern cruelty-free replacements, I offer imitation ivory keytop heads, tails, and even seamless keytops. These replacements can be shaped, color matched, and filed to look just like the real thing. It also has fine grain, providing that signature ivory texture and grip.

Donate unwanted ivory to your piano technician.

The most respectful thing you can do with unwanted ivory is to donate it. Don't throw it in the garbage. Instead, contact me for careful removal and replacement. I can use reclaimed ivory to repair and refurbish antiques. By donating your unwanted keytops, you can help save elephants and make sure that their precious ivory doesn't go to waste!

everettpianoservices.com - Everything you need to know about ivory keytops - Everett Piano Services

What happens if you play guitar too much?

However, doing so can have some serious consequences. Results of too much practice can manifest in depression, burn out, and physical injury. In...

Last updated Jan 14, 2021

Are major keys sad?

The answer is A RESOUNDING YES. One could even say a major key can sound more depressing than a minor key. Mar 2, 2022

Last updated Jan 6, 2022

Promotion

How can I learn a piece of music fast?

At a glance... Read the whole score. Listen to the whole piece. Play through the entire piece slowly. Divide the piece. Use various techniques for...

Last updated Mar 27, 2018

Promotion

What are some piano techniques?

10 Techniques To Help You Play Piano Songs Like A Professional Pianist Sit up straight. Keep your back straight at all times. ... Hand position....

Last updated May 10, 2018