Featured Help Identify Some of My Mom's Earrings, Please

If the necklace in question is ivory, how do you go about assigning a value to something that is illegal to sell?

 

It depends on where you live, whether it can be sold or not. There are also ways around the law since it's a vintage piece and the elephant would be dead of old age if it hadn't been killed for its ivory. (ick) That said, don't try to sell it on line; that's a big no-no.

 

'It’s important to understand that simply possessing ivory you already own is not illegal, nor is passing it on to your heirs. Selling ivory, whether as a business, individual or as part of estate liquidation, is where things get tricky.

A Washington Post feature in June 2016 stated, "Selling ivory is now prohibited, with few exceptions, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe said ... Preexisting items manufactured with ivory such as musical instruments used in orchestras, furniture and items such as firearms containing fewer than 200 grams are exempt. Antiques at least a century old are also exempt, but owners must prove an artifact’s age through a professional appraisal or some other document that can be verified."
How Will the Ivory Ban Impact Antiques You Own? (thesprucecrafts.com)

But what if you are unaware that it is ivory?

 

Antique Ivory colour beaded necklace:
Antique Vintage IVORY Colour ART DECO Carved Bead Necklace Floral Design RARE | eBay

 

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because it can always be pretended.”
— Thomas Jefferson

 

close:
Antique Vintage IVORY Colour ART DECO Carved Bead Necklace Floral Design RARE | eBay

 

I would call those possible ivory beads "melon beads". They could be ivory, bone or celluloid. Better and close up photos may help.

If Journey is lucky, they will be other than ivory. That style clasp makes me think early to mid 20th century (JMHO). If ivory it isn't that old and paying someone to document the necklace would probably not make sense given the value.