An Overview of Current Ivory Law

Antiques Roadshow 

Tips of the Trade

By Ben Phela

Of all the antique objects we appraise on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, few elicit as big a viewer response as items that contain ivory. Almost all of the emails and letters we receive on the subject address in one way or another the legal questions that inevitably arise around ivory.

There is an assumption in the general public that ivory is, at least in some circumstances, illegal, since the elephant species from which ivory is taken are endangered or threatened. But unless you regularly deal with ivory as part of your job, this assumption is often little more than a vague suspicion.

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