Does My Pump Organ Have Ivory Keys?

Many pump organ owners are interested in knowing if their organ has ivory keys. It’s a good question and there’s a quick and easy way to find out.

If your white key tops, or naturals, have two parts, as seen in the picture below, they’re made of ivory. If, on the other hand, they’re just one piece, more than likely they were made from a fairly common materially back in that era, called Ivorean, which was an early form of plastic. Note: It’s important to be aware that Ivorean is quite flammable. As an example, a lighted cigarette left to burn on an Ivorean key board could have very serious consequences.

Used ivory keys are still available and can sometimes be purchased from antique stores, craigslist, or off eBay. If you back-up to our section directory and look for the heading "Parts for Pump Organs," you’ve find a very good resource for almost any organ part you may be in need of.

Note: Be sure to use a clear, or white glue when applying any kind of key. Matter of fact, it’s probably a good idea to make sure that the surface area directory under the replacement key is painted, or colored white.