Vintage/antique elephant ivory jewelry

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S

Shari

O.G.
Jul 16, 2006
1,474
3
#1
I was hoping some one could help me with a problem. If I wanted to buy an antique piece of ivory jewelry from eBay US, can I get it shipped to Australia?

Would I need to obtain a CITES certificate from the US and if so, how do I do that? The only info I can find through a Google search is how to get a CITES certificate if I want to export something.

Thanks for your help!
 
#2
Woah that's gonna be hard... how expensive is it? you can smuggle things in the country pretty easily lol (that sounds really bad) However if you are caught they will most likely confiscate it (claim ignorance if they try to hit you with a fee) because getting your hands on a cities can be very difficult. when i had my gator CDC sent over it came with cities but they didnt even pick up on it the check it (it was claimed as stamped cow leather though) SO much for protecting our country lol
 
#4
Thank you for your opinion Sarina Russo but unfortunately it doesn't really answer my question.

NM I thought it would be really hard and the bracelet is already over a hundred dollars. I think I'll leave it and hunt around some antique shops in Sydney! With your alligator bracelet, who organised the CITES?
 
#5
Since it was Hermes, all their leathers are CITES verified and all their exotics are sold with their certificates (well a copy of the company's license) I had to request one since it as being sent overseas, but they always have them on hand and are supposed to be given out with every exotic sold .

i can give you a copy of my CITIES (it's all in French so they wont translate it, it has the certifying stamp and that's usually all the glance they need) What about if you get it send down and declare that it as an item that you left behind on a trip, that way it would make sense that the paperwork is wiht you and not the item?
 
#6
are they even allowed to sell authentic ivory jewelery on ebay...?
i thought it was one of the off-limit items.. since its coming from an animal on the extinct list.

ivory poaching is illegal.
 
#7
Here is a quote from ebay.com, it was really long so I just copied the first paragraph. The first line shows that, no it is against eBay rules to export ivory products from the US.

US eBay said:
Ivory: Sellers of items on eBay.com containing any type of ivory may only offer and ship such items to purchasers within the United States and must be legally able to sell the item domestically under all applicable laws and regulations. eBay works closely with international and domestic law enforcement authorities, including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to ensure that all sales of ivory products on eBay comply with applicable laws. Due to the endangered or protected status of many species from which ivory is harvested around the world, the sale of ivory products is highly regulated by a complex set of regulations, treaties and laws. Only sellers who are legally able to possess and sell the items they wish to sell are permitted to list ivory items on eBay....
Click to expand...

On the Australian eBay website it says:
AU eBay said:
Ivory: Ivory is prohibited to be traded in any capacity on the Australian site.
Click to expand...

So according to eBay you aren't allowed to buy ivory products.
 
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#8
Most of the ivory products I see on eBay are listed as "pre-ban", and you can usually tell if it's an older piece. (I come across it rather frequently since I love vintage jewelry.) But if I saw anything blindingly new and listed as genuine ivory, I wouldn't touch it.
 
#9
Thanks NM for your help. That's handy that it was all organised for you! Don't worry about giving me a copy, I think it is all too much hassle.

VuittonsLover there are often a few pieces of pre-ban ivory and even older up for sale on eBay US. Hunting elephants was only banned in 1987 (shocking I know).

Thanks for that info Tefhel. I guess there is no hope of buying any from the US but I have seen ivory bangles pop up from time to time on the Australian site too. That's weird that it is completely banned.
 
#11
I really don't see it as 'the ivory trade' anymore because killing elephants is banned and it is more a trade in antique/vintage jewelry. Plus, why can't it be posted overseas? Is it because of quarantine issues? Obviously I am going to have to go to shops in Australia.
 
#12
^^ It probably can't be shipped overseas because every country has different regulations.

Eg. Australia you can't trade it, in the UK you can only trade it if it has a certificate as being pre-ban (pre-1937), in France you can't trade it.

So since every country has different rules and regulations pertaining to ivory I guess it is just easier to only trade within the country.
 
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