Endangered species: ivory

Decisions on act exemptions inevitably run the risk of subjective assessments

The ivory regulations of New York State will be reviewed by New York court judges following an appeal brought by two US antique dealer associations.

Max Rutherston is right to take exception (ATG No 2533) to the letter from Pete Matthews (ATG No 2532), who saucily tells the trade to stop moaning about the Ivory Act.

The digital registration service for exempted items containing ivory is now live and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is urging those wishing to sell items that qualify for one of these narrow exemptions to familiarise themselves with the new system.

I must take exception to the letter from Pete Matthews (ATG No 2532) in which he tells the trade to stop moaning about the Ivory Act.

The Antiques Rescue Centre (ARC), an initiative started by Michael Baggott, has attracted support from a number of auction houses and members of the trade.

Regarding your article in ATG No 2531, ‘Four months’ before ivory ban becomes law’, I fail to see why the trade is ‘frustrated’ and describe the process as chaotic.

The ATG understands the trade will have until June before the terms of the Ivory Act 2018 come into force.

The near-total ban on the trade in antique ivory in the UK promised three years ago is just a matter of weeks away from enforcement.

As reported on the front page of this week’s ATG, it appears the Ivory Act will, after much delay, soon be brought into force. This does not mean the fight for antiques is over; it means it has just begun.

New European Commission laws will prevent the commercial export and import of most antiques containing elephant ivory to and from the EU.

The final consultation on the Ivory Act has been launched ahead of the near-total ivory ban coming into force in spring 2022.

MADAM – As I read the ‘Fees proposal for ivory exemptions’ story (front page, ATG No 2484), I was overwhelmed by an attack of the Victor Meldrews.

The UK government is proposing a fee structure to cover the costs of processing antiques that qualify as exemptions under the 2018 Ivory Act.

MADAM – Re ‘EU propose ban on import and export of antique ivory’, front page, ATG No 2480.