Ivory

The dentine of elephant and other tusks, historically the finest nut and saddle material and now banned from trade.

Ivory was the traditional choice for nuts, saddles, bridges and inlays because it is hard, dense and pleasantly lubricating, and it works and polishes beautifully. That demand is exactly why the international trade in elephant ivory has been banned for decades under CITES, and why no legitimate instrument can now be made with new ivory. Its sound is commonly described as warm and rich with an even, singing response, but such descriptions come from instruments built long ago and cannot justify the trade. Where ivory survives on an old instrument it is documented and conserved, never treated as ordinary stock.

Example: An antique instrument with original ivory fittings is conserved and documented rather than modified, because the material cannot legally be replaced.

typical use: Historical nuts, saddles, bridges and inlays on pre-ban instruments.

Ivory

See also