Billiard Ball Ivory Identification Help

[frank405]

Hi folks, apologies for the intrusion from a non billiard player

I have an antique Riley table top billiard table, which I believe to be from the 1920's. I put this up for sale for £50 as I believed it not to be worth anything, but got suspicious when people started asking for pictures of the balls (I tried keeping a straight face typing this).

I removed the item from sale to try and understand what I have. Having read a little further I have since discovered that the balls may be made of ivory and of some value.

Any knowledgeable people able to pass judgement on these?

From what I've read, and comparing them to pictures of other ivory balls, my hunch is that they are indeed ivory.

Appreciate any input :thumbup:

 

[The ProRailbird]

Hi folks, apologies for the intrusion from a non billiard player

I have an antique Riley table top billiard table, which I believe to be from the 1920's. I put this up for sale for £50 as I believed it not to be worth anything, but got suspicious when people started asking for pictures of the balls (I tried keeping a straight face typing this).

I removed the item from sale to try and understand what I have. Having read a little further I have since discovered that the balls may be made of ivory and of some value.

Any knowledgeable people able to pass judgement on these?

From what I've read, and comparing them to pictures of other ivory balls, my hunch is that they are indeed ivory.

Appreciate any input :thumbup:

If you don't get answers you need here, you can try posting on the ball collecting thread.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=421609

 

[ideologist]

Hi Frank, can you take daylight photos of those balls? They don't appear to be ivory based on what I see here, but natural light helps illuminate things

 

[mikemosconi]

have you searched the internet for how to determine ivory from plastic and clay composition? I remmeber that there was a hot needle test one can do for ivory- try a search!

 

[ideologist]

have you searched the internet for how to determine ivory from plastic and clay composition? I remmeber that there was a hot needle test one can do for ivory- try a search!

The hot needle test is destructive and pretty stupid to do

Sunlight and clear photos makes it clear enough in this case

 

[SBC]

Those are not ivory

 

[jimmyco]

Look for Schreger lines.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schreger_line

 

[Bob Jewett]

Those are not ivory

They don't look like ivory to me, either.

Look for the lines as mentioned above. If you hold the ball in sunlight and turn it, the lines will appear and disappear depending on the angle of the sun and your eye.

Also, if you happen to miscue with an ivory ball, the miscue spot often smells of burnt hair. If you rub a phenolic ball with your thumb very vigorously -- get heat -- you will get a characteristic phenolic smell.

Bob <-- who has miscued many, many times while playing with ivory billiard balls. And sniffed phenolic balls.

 

[dnixon]

Just my opinion looks like Clay

 

[The ProRailbird]

They don't look like ivory to me, either.

Look for the lines as mentioned above. If you hold the ball in sunlight and turn it, the lines will appear and disappear depending on the angle of the sun and your eye.

Also, if you happen to miscue with an ivory ball, the miscue spot often smells of burnt hair. If you rub a phenolic ball with your thumb very vigorously -- get heat -- you will get a characteristic phenolic smell.

Bob <-- who has miscued many, many times while playing with ivory billiard balls. And sniffed phenolic balls.

Hey Bob,

If you get tired of sniffing your balls, try these for a new flavor.

https://www.cafepress.com/+scratch-and-sniff+underwear

 

[mikemosconi]

I Have seen ivory balls that look like that - but the dark dot must be on either side of the cue ball for it to be ivory- although that is not a guarantee, it is a starting point. There is a new post on this site in the Main Forum named "Pool Documentary" - at 1:18 of that video he shows Brunswick cue balls that are ivory- they look like yours and he explains the dark dots on those ivory cue balls

 

[ideologist]

I Have seen ivory balls that look like that - but the dark dot must be on either side of the cue ball for it to be ivory- although that is not a guarantee, it is a starting point. There is a new post on this site in the Main Forum named "Pool Documentary" - at 1:18 of that video he shows Brunswick cue balls that are ivory- they look like yours and he explains the dark dots on those ivory cue balls

It's not ivory

 

[Cuebuddy]

It's not ivory

I agree, having a few Ivory balls and many clay in my collection.

 

[ibuycues]

Nope, not ivory.
Will Prout

 

[frank405]

So I'll go with the consensus that they are not ivory.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply, much appreciated :thumbup: