Endangered Species

Regulations for the trade in endangered species are controlled by the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

This covers items from ivory, rhino horn, tortoiseshell, taxidermy items and certain types of wood whether they comprise the whole or part of the object.


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Top stories this week including news that the Ivory Act extension will come into force ‘when time allows’

06 October 2024

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news that the incoming ban on antique scrimshaw and narwhal tusk trade has been delayed.

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Ivory Act extension to pass ‘when time allows’

30 September 2024

The UK ban on the trade in antique scrimshaw and narwhal tusks has been delayed following the change of government.

An antique narwhal tusk

Seven-foot narwhal tusk takes £7500

16 July 2024

Sale in Hampshire may be one of the final sales of such an item before new legislation takes force

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ATG letter: Policing will save ivory, not an antique trade ban

24 June 2024

Oh dear, here we go again (‘Crackdown on marine ivory trade: date revealed’, ATG No 2649).

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Defra to crack down on marine ivory trade

17 June 2024

The trade in most antique scrimshaw and narwhal tusks will effectively be banned in the UK in just over two months

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CITES saga: a client stuck in a Kafkaesque world

02 January 2024

A lawyer writes: Case study of an ivory import shows how frustrating the system can become

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Ivory seal deemed to be of ‘outstanding’ value comes to Cirencester auction

02 October 2023

The sale at Moore Allen & Innocent on October 11-12 includes a series of personal items relating to William Duke of Clarence, later William IV (1765-1837).

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Liner launcher mallet exempted from ivory trade ban

14 August 2023

The ivory-made launching mallet and silver casket from the ill-fated RMS Empress of Ireland came for sale at McTear’s (24% buyer’s premium) in Glasgow.

Ivory netsuke

No fanfare as ivory netsuke sets a new record

10 July 2023

A new auction record for netsuke – over three times the previous high – has been set in France.

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ATG letter: Ivory Act – government should listen to the true experts

12 June 2023

I despair of this government. After banning antique ivory sales we now will see the disappearance of what I consider works of art from sailors long ago passing the time by carving on animal tusks (ATG No 2595).

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ATG Letter: Government should reconsider ill-thought-out ivory rules

29 May 2023

This week we have heard that the government plans to ‘extend the Ivory ban’. It has been reported in the press, on the radio and on television.

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Art and antiques trade dismay as the Ivory Act is extended

28 May 2023

The trade in antique scrimshaw and narwhal tusks will effectively be banned in the UK once a proposed extension to the Ivory Act becomes law.

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Government set to extend ivory ban to five other species

23 May 2023

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the trade in ivory from hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, killer whale and sperm whale will be protected under an extension to the Ivory Act in the UK.

CITES

Application system for CITES permits and licences goes digital

10 May 2023

Permits and licences for CITES will soon be moving to an online service.

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First auction house donations arrive at the ARC

24 April 2023

The Antiques Rescue Centre (ARC) received its first donations from an auction house and has catalogued them for its records.

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Revealed: Ivory Act exemptions so far

27 March 2023

Following a Freedom of Information Request by Antiques Trade Gazette, the agency charged with administering The Ivory Act has issued some data on the controversial law.

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ATG letter: Broken and stripped antiques are the result of the flawed Ivory Act

06 March 2023

When the 2018 Ivory Act was being debated key campaigners (Born Free, many MPs including Angela Rayner and numerous celebrity supporters -notably Stephen Fry and Deborah Meaden) argued that the Act would IN NO WAY cause the destruction of antiques.

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ATG letter: That £20 cost is down to the new Ivory Act charges

28 November 2022

I have just entered an early 19th century portrait miniature painted on ivory into my local auction and have been informed that, in order to enter it, I have to pay a £20 fee for it to be accepted for sale.

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ATG letter: Would that beautiful chess set be classed as museum quality?

18 July 2022

Referring to the UK’s near-total ban on selling antique ivory objects, would the beautiful Vizagatapam, India, c.1830-50, ivory chess set in the collection of Mr Holger Langer (Collector Interview, ATG No 2550) be classed as museum quality?

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Furniture suite could be first ‘museum quality’ ivory sale

11 July 2022

A suite of solid ivory and gilt furniture sold by Christie’s on July 7 appears to be the first auction lot to benefit from the exemption to the Ivory Act allowing the sale of items of ‘outstandingly high artistic, cultural and historical value’.

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