Is there any place on line you can sell carved ivory?

Pops found a beautiful carved ivory lidded box yesterday, I have found several similar online but have no clue if and where you can sell them? I know you can't sell on Ebay. Thanks!

 

A local auctioneer is going to Federal prison for sending a couple pieces to Canada

I haven't heard anything about the new administration undoing the over zealousness of the past one yet

 

Yikes!!

 

use it...and one day it will be in your estate sale.....having been loved for all those long years...

 

https://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/ivory-ban-questions-and-answers.html

 

It depends what country you live in. I can sell antique ivory items in a bricks and mortar auction house that allows online bidding, but the auction house can only ship the items to UK residents or at least, UK addresses. I can't think of any reason apart from sheer economic impractibility why I should not set up an ebay like UK website to sell Ivory. It would have to specify pre-ban ivory objects though.

In my opinion that box may not be pre-ban, thouugh. It is an African souvenir object, and travel and tourism to Africa became far more common after WWII and that would be the sort of thing that might have been brought back from Nairobi in the 1970s or 1980s when enforcement of any restrictions on ivory, particually for individual travellers was pretty casual.

 

What komokwa said

 

I think it's after 1947, I very much doubt you would get a CITES certificate, if found selling it you will be in a lot of trouble and the item will be destroyed...........
The Laws In Short!
It would be usefull to you to understand the laws on the sale of Ivory,and the laws regarding the import and export of ivory(endangered species only).

• According to UK and EU laws in conjunction with CITES(Convention International Trade in Endangered Spescies) The trade in Ivory is banned out right,this means that the sale,transport,import export etc is strictly prohibited,the only exception is to antique specimens.
• For an Ivory to be classified as an antique specimen it must predate 1.6.1947.
• The ivory must be in a worked form,this means all unworked ivory,off cuts,tusks,teeth etc are prohibited to be exported,imported or sold. One thing with this rule is that you could have a 200 year old tusk which you can prove is 200 years old,but you will not be permitted to sell it,get it certificated,imported or exported.However you would still be legally allowed to own it and admire it,but never ever sell it.
• The ivory must be in its original worked form,this basically means that if your item has been repaired,and the repairs contain ivory,you need to be certain that the ivory/repair is pre ban. A common misconception here lies with people believing that old ivory can be re worked,it cant!!! if you attempted to carve a piece of ivory,even if you knew it was 100 years old,you would be breaking the law exactly the same as someone carving a modern tusk..
• As the UK is part of the EU,you are perfectly entitled to transport antique ivory in and out of any EU destination(to another EU destination),i think this stems from the fact that on paper we are all one state,so in theory taking your ivory from the UK to France for example is no different to taking your Ivory from Wales to Scotland,however it is also worth noting that although under EU law this is allowed,certain EU counties take a dim view on this and have been known to disregard the ruling and class an importation in the same way as they would from a none EU country,which typically ends up with confiscation and the item being destroyed(for example it has been known in Germany for them to remove the ivory keys from a piano !!!),another point worth mentioning is that the laws change frequently and drastically,so what you were allowed to do today,may not be what you are allowed to do tomorrow!!!so it is always beneficial as with all legal issues to double check that everything is the same as the last time.
• Ivory can be exported and imported providing it is antique and you apply for the relevant import and export permits from CITES,these are costly and time consuming,however if you intend to export or import Ivory be warned,doing so without permits is no different to being caught importing 100 elephant tusks illegally,it is a serious offence,dont do it.

 

...and if it's in the US, the rule of thumb is "don't bother". I have several bits of ivory here that either I have to a) keep, b) give as gifts or c) sell privately. It can't be taken over state lines except as personal property. It can't be sold in my state at all, at least openly.

 

thanks everyone!