Are the Red Balls Ivory?

[topcat1953]

My friend has a number of old billiard balls. Most of the cue balls are ivory. Which is easy to see. But, except for one red ball, whose paint or finish or whatever, has been rubbed off, how can it be determined as to whether the red is ivory? Can it be by color or weight or size? Can it be done without removing the red color?

 

[Johnnyt]

It could be that they didn't have a Red ball and put nail polish or paint on a white ivory. Johnnyt

 

[HollyWood]

red balls

there real! something happened to the post or something 0..

billiards encyclopedia mark

 

[mamono]

Weren't the ivory object balls dyed?

 

[scruffy1]

Weren't the ivory object balls dyed?

Absolutely! They were not cast like modern balls so the colors were dyed and numbered balls were scrimshawed. You can see varying wear on some in my collection.

 

[scruffy1]

some more!