Weird Thing That Holds Something

It doesn't look like ivory to me. The "Schreger" lines don't have the cross hatch typical of ivory. You don't say how heavy they are, how they feel in your hand? Also they look quite modern to me. Trading in ivory has been illegal since 1947. I doubt that souvenir pieces would be made from it

 

The new Chinese wealth has caused the market for ivory in all it's forms to continue to be strong despite laws and bans & any measures taken to curtail it.

Your doubts are unfounded .

 

That may well be, but it's black market ivory which is highly expensive and I still doubt it's use for tourist souvenirs. I still don't think it looks like Ivory and I hope it isn't. Africa's elephant population is seriously declining and making money from selling black market Ivory is disgusting.

 

I'll try to take better pics tomorrow

 

Not every country holds their laws to the same standards....

seriously declining.....is right, but it's also a gross understatement !

And while it may be disgusting ( I'd use harsher terms...) it's also a sad fact !

 

It is not illegal.

Banning the sale of parts of a dead animal does not save live animals. Removing the dead animal parts from the marketplace makes the value of live animal parts higher.

 

Here are a few close ups

 

Suggest you read the Endangered Species Act passed by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service in 1973. It is illegal to import or sell African Elephant Ivory unless the item is accompanied by documentation proving it was imported prior to 1973. The same applies to Asian Elephant Ivory except the date is 1975. All the time people continue to demand Ivory, the black market will supply it. So the second part of your reasoning is correct. However if the markets were uncontrolled the species would probably be extinct already. So banning the sale of ivory does limit the slaughter of live animals as it makes the marketplace smaller.

 

Thanks for the pics. It looks as though the piece has been molded. Ivory would be carved as far as I know. It could be made from ivorine which is basically celluloid which was used as a replacement for Ivory. Try sticking a hot pin in it somewhere inconspicuous. If it's man made you should smell it, like camphor. Whatever it is it's a nice object. Use it for dinner parties to hold toothpicks!!!

 

There are no seam lines.

 

You're talking about the USA.

There's a whole nuther world out there...!

You don't even consider the rising Chinese market....... SHEESH !

 

Hi,
I just saw a show where in the USA people gathered together tons and tons of ivory and smashed it all to pieces. Please, things like this really drives me crazy.
Do not destroy things to make a statement. I remember once in NYC where the
animal people destroyed 1000s of fur coats. Do they not realize that coats could be sold and cut down the killing of animals. Just to destroy all that which has been done just seems wrong. Perhaps I am to old to jump up and down when 1000s of things are destroyed.
greg

 

Since the discussion was about selling ivory in the USA, yes of course I'm talking about the USA! Sadly I'm very well aware of the Chinese Market which is largely responsible for the poaching of Ivory. I have lived on 3 continents including Africa, so I've seen the "nuther world" thank you. Did you also know that China and Vietnam are also responsible for the endangerment of the African Rhino which is poached for its horn? They think it contains some amazing health property. It's Keratin. Or in simple terms. Hair!!! My point is still that it is the buying that creates the demand, that's simple economics. The demand is met by the black market supply which endangers the species. None of this makes it acceptable or legal to sell undocumented Ivory anywhere. So what was your point exactly?

 

Call it 'beige'....maybe...'Navajo White'....

 

E-jits.

 

Evely says.....It's a souvenir of India; that's the Taj Mahal.

Kraft asks, Would i be able to sell it on eBay.

So please show me where or who said anything that led you to believe that "the discussion was about selling ivory in the USA".......other than you yourself !

 

Sure. Terry5732 from Minnesota said that selling of Ivory is not illegal. Last time I looked, Minnesota was in the USA. If all you can do is argue for the sake of arguing, instead of contributing meaningfully to the discussion then I have nothing more to say to you.

 

That's you're answer....that Terry comes from Minnesota ???
Really......
& you base your claim that the discussion is about selling ivory in the USA, because you looked at Terry's avatar page and found out he lives in Minnesota ?

This was never an argument , but it is now !

You think that by cherry picking words and placing them in the order you so desire so as to look like it proves your point , that that makes it ok to say what ever it is you want to .

Where'd you learn that....Fox News ??

Saying I haven't contributed to this thread....in a meaningful way , is both demeaning to me, & a boldfaced lie !

Suggesting that all I can do is argue , just to argue ....is insulting to me and another boldfaced lie !

Nothing I've said so far has been a direct personal slight, or comment on your character , as you've leveled at me , so just thinking about you not wanting to say anything more to me fills me with such utter joy , that I've decided to throw a party !!

In conclusion, take your lies , falsehoods, and ugly ego , and crawl back under the rock from whence you came !

In other words ....BITE ME !

 

LLace - not sure why any of the bans you reference have anything to do with whether or not this piece is ivory, it is, as clearly shown in the picture of the base - I've held a number of these in my hand over the years, and they were all ivory. It was carved in India, so really the only applicable bans concerning the original carving would be theirs - these were popular souvenirs from at least the mid 20th century, and this one may be pre-Convention, though not necessarily, and there's certainly no way to document it. Ivory was commonly imported and sold here in the states, with little regulation, into the late '80s (prior to the 1989 CITES Convention), and trade continues, with increasing regulation, into this century.

The OP asked if this piece could be sold on eBay, and it is against their regulations, though ivory continues to be sold there anyway. Perhaps someone who specializes in national and international trade law might have clear insight, but wading into the various regulations concerning endangered and threatened species goods, which differ even from state to state here in the U.S., reveals a quagmire of varying and often conflicting specifics. You do your cause a disservice with the histrionic spouting of incorrect information and unfounded attacks on those with differing opinions - might consider taking a bit of time to research, basic information concerning trade in ivory can be found on the USFWS site: http://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/ivory-ban-questions-and-answers.html

~Cheryl

 

AMEN!