The pickguard idea is excellent.
Additional ideas:
#1) You can also buy guitar picks made from the same material as the pickguard which looks like MOP. Those might be cheaper and easier for you to get. experiment on one to make sure they can sand down and keep the look.
#2) I have an excellent supply of real asian elephant ivory(pre-ban) from the far east. This stuff is exotic,beautiful and impossible to find.
I could send you a piece.You could slice off blanks. It can be sanded,carved,and etched upon (scrimshaw)
