Ivory regulation

The art and antiques trade has a new opportunity to state the case for antique ivory in a meeting with MPs and peers this week.

MADAM – I’m amazed at the lack of common sense that pervades the ivory debate. The only thing that will save live elephants is to stop the poaching.

MADAM – Four years ago I was told by other dealers and auctioneers there was nothing to worry about in regards to a ban on antique ivory.

MADAM – One would not expect a leading broadsheet to indulge in fake news, yet this regrettably occurred at the conclusion of a report in 'The Times' on ivory poaching by Aislinn Laing, who writes from Nairobi: “This month the UK announced the closure of its legal market in antique ivory” (October 25).

MADAM – Recently there have been several national press reports claiming that the UK is the world’s largest exporter of ivory. I felt your readers should know that this is not accurate.

A new report into the sale of ivory at UK auctions claims to have found “widespread flouting of the law by many auction houses”.

The art market’s trade bodies have issued guidance to their members on how to respond to the government’s consultation on ivory, launched on October 6.

Auctioneer association NAVA Propertymark is partnering with Border Force on a so-called amnesty scheme for items made from endangered species.

MADAM – Regarding the ivory consultation (ATG No 2312), I despair that sound pragmatic arguments have been overwhelmed by unproven and exaggerated links to the poaching problem.

Anthony Browne, chairman of The British Art Market Federation (BAMF), was due to meet with environment secretary Michael Gove this week (October 10) to discuss the proposed ban on sales of ivory in the UK.

It’s taken more than a year to materialise but at last, the long-awaited consultation on ivory has arrived.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is to push ahead with a consultation on the trade in ivory before making any changes to legislation.

The Conservative Party has omitted any mention of ivory in its 2017 manifesto published last week, giving hope an uncompromising ban on the trade will not be introduced.

The Conservative Party is expected to rethink its previous pledge for a ‘total ban’ on ivory sales in its election manifesto, due for publication this week.