How to Tell if a Cue Ball is Ivory

Although ivory cue balls are rare, it’s entirely possible to run into them. There are bound to be ivory cue ball collections sitting in storage or passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, ivory cue balls aren’t often labeled as such. If you don’t know what to look for, it can be hard to tell the difference between clay, ivory, along with old acrylic balls. Luckily there are a few easy ways to differentiate between these materials. Read on to learn how to tell if a cue ball is ivory.

Best Ways to Tell if a Cue Ball is Ivory

Ivory became recognized as an ideal material for billiard balls in the 17th century. It was used all the way up until the 20th century, despite the threat it posed to elephants. Those other animals didn’t have sufficient amounts of ivory— or the ivory wasn’t large enough— to ever become commercially viable. The ivory from elephant tusks was generally big enough to make billiard balls.

Since ivory is an organic substance, it can be easy to inspect a cue ball visually to determine if it’s ivory or not.

There are a few characteristics that are unique to ivory cue balls. So, it may be possible for you to identify an ivory cue ball simply by looking at it. Here are the telltale signs to look for:

Remember that great combination of those fuzzy psychedelic posters and black lights? Or was that just me? Even if that wasn’t your thing, chances are you know someone with a blacklight that you can use to help you determine if a cue ball is ivory. However, this is not the ultimate test. It’s best to combine this with other characteristics before you decide for sure. Here’s how the cue ball test works:

In a dark room, power up the blacklight and shine it on the cue ball. Ivory cue balls will most often give off a white sheen, whereas synthetic materials will have a blue or light blue glow. It’s also possible that, if the ball has a patina, it will glow dull brown or yellow. Bright yellow indicates artificial aging, meaning it’s probably not ivory.

I don’t recommend this method, as it can damage the ball if it’s not ivory, and leave a mark on the ball if it is. Either way, you’ve marred the ball at the end of it. Still, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this test.

Using pliers or some other method to protect your fingers, hold a pin (like a sewing needle) and heat it up with a candle or a lighter for several seconds. Using a reasonable amount of force, place the heated tip of the pin on the cue ball in question. If the ball melts where you placed the pin, or smells like burning plastic, it’s not ivory. If the ball doesn’t melt and smells like burning hair, it is ivory.

The last method, and perhaps the easiest, is to ask an expert. Chances are there’s someone at an antique store or a pawn shop that can tell you for sure. They may even be able to give you an idea of how much the ball is worth if it is ivory. Just make sure the person is legitimate and trustworthy. If you’re not sure, get a second opinion.

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