Ivory question

[Cliff McNeill]

Do any of you guys do any work with ivory? I'm wondering if anyone knows what the present laws are regarding the private sale of Ivory? I have acquired a Narwhal Tusk that was my father in laws. I guess he had it forever and doesnt even remember where he got it. I dont really have a use for it and I see that some dealers in canada get decent money for it. I am considering trying to sell it but dont want to get in trouble for being ignorant of the laws. I tried to look on line but didnt have much luck. Thought someone here might have some info to share. Thanks!

[Dave Johnson29]

I tried to look on line but didnt have much luck.


My first try with

ivory sale illegal

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=is-ebay-doing-enough

[Steven Wallace]

Free legal advice is getting what you paid for. I know there have been several threads on patents and copyrights on here and all with good intentions. Nobody on here seems to have anything but your best interest in mind. However, if we were lawyers this lasering habit might be a hobby not a business. We all have had our experiences with things legal, but I am willing to bet none of us can quote chapter and verse on all specifics on a given law. No matter the source, I would suggest seeking professional advice before you act on it and you end up posting from the crossbar hotel.

[Dee Gallo]

I deal with ivory from time to time, in my mah jong business. I also used to do scrimshaw work (in a former artistic life). It has been illegal to import or export ivory in this country since 1980. You can ship it within the country, but that's it. Whatever was here already is okay, commonly referred to as "pre-ban ivory".

I recently bought some old piano keys which are ivory, and that is one of the few sources for clean unused ivory flats available now. EBay has recently banned auctions of ivory as well.

Ivory will laser to a nice black mark, by the way. The char can be removed and color filled as well. My reproduction is on the left.

cheers, dee

[Frank Corker]

Beautiful work Dee. Lot of work gone into those!

[Dee Gallo]

BTW- ivory can take very fine detail. Here is a sample of a mini ivory tile, 3/4" long x 1/2" wide. Sorry, it's blurry, but in real life it's crisp. I just did this for fun - it's just a bitmap, not line art, so not as clean as you could get it.

[Ray Mighells]

I have over 3 lbs of elephant ivory and some mamoth ivory that I aquired in lots of about .5 to 1lb from ebay auctions. It is essentially scraps left over from manufacturing of bigger things. Some pieces are big enough to resaw, shape, or whatever. One package of over 100 pieces are jewelry scraps. It is running about $25 - $28 per .5lb. Last time I entered a bid for ivory piano keys, I bid $30.00 for a set of five and lost. Pictures are usually shown.

[Bob Keyes]

I work with ivory all the time. I buy it and sell it. It is ILLEGAL to import or export ivory, or any article made from ivory, in the USA. However, ivory that was here prior to 1983 when the CETA act was adopted is legal to buy or sell. What I buy is from a dealer in Ohio and comes with a certificate naming the country of origin, date it entered the USA, and a tusk number issued by our Uncle. But, this data is not necessary to be legal. Are you in the USA? If so you wanna sell it? I'd be interested.

Just the high points.

[Mark Carlson]

I decided to keep my opinion to myself.

[Angus Hines]

I cut billiard table diamonds and circles out of old piano keys. All I can say is it smells like burning hair when you cut it.

[Kim Vellore]

I saw this on tv when the poached tusks were confiscated by the government in Africa they staked it all up and burnt it, the stack was almost 40-50 feet high, huge stack. I was thinking if all of us found ivory worthless these animals will be spared.. as long as there is demand there will be poaching.
my 2c opinion
kim

[Frank Corker]

I agree with you Kim, but that mountain of ivory was burned in Zimbabwe where it was intended to show the world that poaching would not be tolerated. Yet Zimbabwe sell it themselves. Herds are allowed to grow to a certain size and then they move in and cull them. They remove a complete herd because they can't individually survive if half a herd is culled.

Lesson learned... No. My personal thoughts are that they should have just flooded the market with it, has it hasn't reduced poaching, mainly because there is nothing left to poach! All it did was make a mockery of what the animal was killed for in the first place.

Before anyone kicks off, it's my opinion.

[art baylor]

I'm confused. Someone please clarify. I think of ivory as elephant tusk. The original post was about Narwhal tusk (Wow, how rare is that). Is whale bone/tusk considered ivory too? How about sea lion tusk?
Not trying to raise issues, just unsure of definitions.

art

[Frank Corker]

Art I think the stuff that is listed as endangered is the banned stuff. Not too sure on whale bone though. I'm sure you will find on a search of google which can be used and which can't.

[Charles Mottram]

Fossilized Walrus and Mastodon ivory are both legal, most of it comes from Alaska. Walrus ivory is legal for Alaska natives to sell as long as it is some form of artwork. Its also very expensive!