Real African Ivory Jewelery Question

As you are a liberal I think you should turn it in or destroy it, you otherwise are furthering the market for such ill gotten gains.

HaHaHa! The CITES Act, which among many other things, bans the importation or sale of certain types of ivory, was adopted by the Nixon administration.

Wow. Getting jewelry appraised becomes political. What a country we live in.

I wouldn't walk into your nearest Zales and ask what they think.....but at the same time, I don't imagine you'll be rounded up by the United Nations Endangered Game Patrol if you brought some photos into, say, someone at Harold Jaffe and ask what your options are.

I thought the deal was as long as ivory stayed within the 50 states, it was legal to sell and buy. Eh, maybe there's some new update I'm missing.

Clarification: PRE ban ivory was OK within the U.S. Not anything since the 70's.

Thanks oldhometown. Its probably goiong to be a hard slog trying to sell this stuff.

Interesting.
We don't allow ivory because elephants used to be killed to get it, but diamonds are fine because the humans that are killed to get them aren't white.

I am pretty sure Ivory was already politicized.

Maybe try a pawn shop? The guys on Pawn Stars always know what they can and can't buy of stuff like this (I don't remember an Ivory episode though). But if pre ban items are allowed, how do you prove they are pre-ban?

MrsArcher,

There was an episode on Ivory. It was a piece of art work on an Ivory tusk. It turned out to be bone and not Ivory.

There should be no problem getting an appraisal from a jewelry store.

Here is an article I found

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/chattanooga_200804A10.html

Antique ivory and jewelry can be sold.

Shoot OhioKimono, anything can be sold if you find the right buyer.

Ethically, I agree with Linecrosser. Given your liberal ethics, you really should just destroy the jewelry. Of course, if you're one of those liberals who can talk the talk but not walk the walk then by all means, sell it to a conservative pawn shop owner (liberal pawn shop owners are all bankrupt).

No. Diamonds are fine because the price is kept artificially high by De Beers and because no animals are killed during the harvesting process. That last bit is important.

Besides, those human people that get killed during the process might easily be conservatives, and besides the entire killing business is a long way away in foreign countries where there's always an uprising going on. And besides, girls like sparkly things. Like diamonds.

And if we didn't have diamonds, there wouldn't be any wedding rings which means that there wouldn't be families, so if you're against importing diamonds that makes you against the family unit which is what I thought all the conservatives were trying to uphold. It would just make sense that the conservatives would get caught lying about things like this!

The logic can't be disputed. Despite the obvious open conspiracy between elephants and the republican party.

I am soooooo glad I didn't start a thread on Cuban Cigars.

I've been out of town, hence the delay in acknowledging and thanking posters for their efforts in providing good info on ivory and its saleability. ( Oddly, I was able to login as Holland but not post anything while out of town and using my laptop on a Hyatt hotel wifi.)

Based on the information provided here, and what I know is the provenance of the three pieces, my husband took it to an antique dealer we trust (somewhat) and have done business with in the past. He said there is no market for ivory and was not interested in purchasing it at any price. He said, in his opinion and experience, that it wasn't the ban that killed the market but ignorance. According to him most people don't recognize ivory or believe it is real if they do, or think its carved bone or some synthetic knock off. Looks like my kids will be putting this stuff in an estate sale.

Thank you jr. I kinda saw where this thread was going with the first response. Laughing off the politicization didn't get it back on track.

No market for ivory? where has this guy been? There is a market but not a very big market for ivory. Just have to find the right buyer and has to be verified it's real ivory since it's a specialty item.

It would be like paintings/art since depending on buyers it would change.

Looks like my kids will be putting this stuff in an estate sale.

Keep us posted, as I might be interested in buying it.

Of course I would expect to have it verified as genuine ivory. I'm going to find a credible local jeweler who will give an appraisal and then go from there. I do want to sell it if I can. I'll never wear it and my kids have no interest in it.

I've never fully 100% trusted this particular antique dealer. But his shop seems to be the place that I frequently find pieces I'm interested in. He has been been in business in this area for over 40 years but I always have this nagging feeling that's he's not completely forthright. Maybe its just me.

Holland: Keep us updated. I am also interested in buying your ivory too.

As soon as I get a valid, credible appraisal I will private message anyone that's interested. Thanks.