One Piece Ivory

[Greg Newell]

John,
    They could be ivory. Look at the grain in the key. That should be the give away. I have seen one piece ivory keytops but not very often. Your right to look for the line as a general rule but sometimes you need to look closer. Usually found only on quality instruments. Repair can be done with acrylic. Look in the Journals for adds on this.

Greg Newell

"John Lillico, RPT" wrote:

> Was there ever such a covering as one piece ivory? I've always seen ivory as a "head" and a "tail" with a (usually) visible crack. I've always used this crack to distinguish between ivory and plastic.
>
> Today, a 75 year old lady tells me her chipped keys on a 1934 Sherlock Manning are ivory! I say they are plastic because there's no separation between head and tail. She says her parents bought the piano when she was nine and, except for a time when she ran away from home at 19 to get married, says that the keys have NEVER been recovered in plastic.
>
> Sixty per cent of the overhangs are chipped and she thinks they can be repaired like teeth. How can I convince her that these tops are plastic? Or are they?
>
> John Lillico, RPT,
> Oakville ON  Canada