Antique Ivory - A hard sell?

I thought if it had proper paper work to prove it is antique ivory, then it was still legal to sell here in the US. Has that changed?

 

Getting the proper paperwork is next to impossible. You need the original sales receipt (good luck there) plus you have to prove that the pice came into the US through one of the approved (I think) 9 ports. So it has to be antique and made over seas.

In Mass we can legally sell ivory to a person who lives in Mass and will not take it out of the state. I am on Cape Cod, we get a lot of Summer visitors, enough said

 

I believe that is still the case but how many people will have the original proof/paperwork that something is antique Ivory? You can of course have it tested but thats expensive.

 

I was watching a programme this afternoon where antiques dealers go into peoples houses and make offers for their antiques. They were discussing this subject and all of them agreed that it won't be long before the Ivory ban hits the UK as well.

I have noticed recently at fairs and antiques centres a lot more expensive pieces of antique Ivory for sale......Dealers seem to be getting rid while the going is good.

 

I don't see a problem with antique ivory in the slightest. In fact, I feel that if an animal died for us to have something, we should cherish it. Which is why I also have a lot of old furs. I wouldn't buy a new fur, however, if the animal was already killed, I hate to see it go to further waste. I really love the thing they do where they dye to the tusk of living animals, making their tusk pretty undesirable.

 

Apparently FWS had ARS value Jay's pieces

http://kstp.com/news/minnesota-antiques-dealer-guilty-smuggling-elephant-ivory/4162710/

Besides a hefty fine he may be facing prison time

In both cases they were true antiques

 

Well if Marko is any indication Ivory may be a hard sell.....but an easy buy !

 

Oh carp!

I came across a chunky elephant ivory bangle this weekend and after a lot of debating with myself I finally decided to buy it. It has some age to it, I just hope I can sell it on. Since I am in Mass. I can only legally sell it to someone who will keep it within the state. This is going to be a hard sell, I probably am crazy!

 

I was at an auction this weekend, and they couldn't give the ivory away. Literally sold on mercy bids.

There were a bunch of pieces that we loved, but knew that we'd be stuck with them, so we let them pass. Beautiful carved ivory crocodile, sold for $10.

We are taking the few pieces we have to an antique fair this weekend, hoping to sell them there, and hopefully at cost.

 

Usually once or so a year I get someone asking for ivory and they don't care if it's legal to buy or not. No one like that has shown up this year yet, and to tell the truth, I would rather they wouldn't. The biggest problem with being stuck with the ivory bangle is it won't fit over my hand so I can't even wear it

 

Animals that do not have a current economic use will be vulnerable to extinction. Legalising the sale of ivory is more likely to see elephants survive.

Photo opportunities where mass seizures of ivory are burned only serve to drive up the price and make poaching more lucrative.

By the same token hunting prey species is more likely to see those species survive as there is money to be made protecting a lucrative pastime.

But I think that an ivory ban, with only sales being those where antique status can be proved, will happen in the UK. And it willhave no positive impact on the elephant population.

 

I have bought Ivory on a couple of occasions recently knowing that its quite likely I will never be able to sell it.
One little lot I bought at an antiques fair was really cheap, I am seeing more Ivory coming on to market in the UK than I've ever seen before so its my guess dealers are selling it while the going is good.
I really don't think the ban will do any good and poaching will still go on, It will most likely drive the selling of Ivory underground....Thats my opinion anyway.

 

I am looking to buy some nice netsuke and okimono if the price comes down a bit more. Not to sell, just to keep.

 

Outright ban ivory? why would anyone want to have anything to do with buying/selling these pieces that all have such horrific origins - new, old, ancient? There's plenty of other materials in the world to sculpt

 

1st ...ask the Chinese...they are driving the market !!
2nd... " Anyone ".....that's a big word.....there are still many folks in many parts of the world looking to feed their kids any way they can......right or wrong.

 

The way I look at is concerning antique Ivory is these animals died a long time ago and if we don't treasure and look after these pieces then they died for nothing.

 

They may have died a long time ago.....but in the same fashion that they die today !

 

Yes indeed Komoka...TELL the Chinese and others (damn difficult I know - they're a stubborn....ruthless type....and aside, happy to let many other absolute horrors happen in their secretive country) that it's NO to using the 'vintage old ivory trade' as a cover for getting new ivory traded. Ban the whole damn trade. Britain, EU, USA: vintage description is no excuse for making ivory sales legit and it is just being grossly abused.
Anyone, yes. What resources are folks going to use to feed their kids when ivory poaching income is gone?..... very....soon. So much more horrific pain experienced by these gentle giants in the meantime. Educate educate, stop people passing the responsibility

 

I have spoken with many antiques dealers here in the UK and the view that is widely shared is why the hell did they burn all that poached Ivory?

Why didn't they release it on to market, that would have flooded the market with Ivory making it valueless and therefore no point in poaching anymore.

 

That would have flooded the market * making it easier for unscrupulous dealers to use it for cover to mix in yet more illegal ivory trade.
Also, had it all suddenly been released to market, the (government) sellers would likely be or become corrupted, wanting higher prices and the buyers would lap it up and sell on at normal market value.
Burn it
Ban it
Anybody that knows about this industry should know what a disgusting activity it represents, how ever much the material can be carved into impressive sculptures...that is so insignificant when compared with the butchery of it's origins.
I have discovered 2 inherited ivory sculptures in my parents household and had them destroyed. Value is nothing when I know what they represent.

* would it have flooded the market?....drop in the ocean