Very important and informative episode. The EU has even tougher laws on ivory. Only museums in the EU can buy an item containing ivory, regardless of the percentage amount, age, or importance. No exemptions. This affects auctions here in that it reduces the available retail market to just UK buyers.
Very important pair of videos Michael, thank you very much for raising some awareness for the topic and the laws. I was very fortunate to acquire an original Queen Anne silver teapot burner with a turned wooden handle (which I already suspected to be a recent addition). I asked if that was the original handle, and in reply it turned out that it was not. Rather than throw it away (as would surely have happened) he said he could send it as a gift. The beautiful original ivory handle (which, in my opinion, made the piece outstanding) was then refitted by a friend and will be preserved, even if on paper it is worthless! I will ensure that at least as long as I live it will be saved from destruction. I very much doubt many such items survive with their original ivory handles. But yes, long story aside, it is shocking what gets destroyed, and what heritage is being actively lost irrevocably due to this law. Very sad, but at least we can play a small part in preserving what we can. Sorry for waffling on, great video as always.
Thankyou and Very well done on saving the handle. I see several antique pieces EVERY DAY where handles have simply been smashed or pulled off, very sad indeed.
@@michaelbaggott-rk1lh I currently forget the page, but, the 1642 spoon by Jeremy Johnson, I own that very spoon! It was really cool finding that in there after buying it.
Very interesting Michael, we sent various items to the local auction rooms when we cleared my mothers house out recently, a Victorian walking stick was returned because of the ivory handle, the cost wasn’t worth it. It’s in the hall stick stand now for the kids to deal with in the future ! Great book by the way, just finished it, very entertaining but with some really useful advice when looking at antiques.
Is there anything stopping online sellers from advertising the pieces as "bone" and selling them anyway? I'll admit to buying a handful of interesting items at Brimfield (a cheese scoop and long-handled olive pick, both with a push levers, as well as an item that looked like a lemon reamer), all with ivory handles. I figure the in-person sales can probably get away with it, even though they are not offering provenance, and that perhaps the government agencies are scanning the online sales more closely. There must be an underground trade for such things? Having probably a dozen-or-so ivory-handled pieces, what is best practices to ensure they aren't destroyed after I"m gone?
“Oxbone” frequently appears online as a description, or the material is omitted entirely, but it doesn’t change the fact that in the U.K. that opens you up to a £250,000 fine and up to 5 years in prison!!! The best way to keep things from being destroyed is to gift them either to a young get collector or a museum, that’s why I set up the ARC, to plug the gap (but it’s far from ideal and needs govt funding & backing). You’d weep if you saw what’s already been lost. 😞
Historical vandalism by those claiming to have other's interests at heart. The most malodorous form of tyrant. I too have a suggestion for where that fantastic fork could be "deposited."
All of things were made when kings, government ministers , the landed gentry were busy out in the colonies shooting every elephant they could find. I loved the story about The Queen Mum who was badgered by some one who complained that the Osprey feathers in her hat are sacrosanct. She pointed out that when she first had the same feathers in her hats the Osprey was not endangered! Surely the same with ivory pieces, they were made when elephants were the 'fair' game of the rich and bloodthirsty and therefore surely they are exempt.
Pity some good common sense can't prevail. That French marrow scoop with ivory handle which is clearly a bona fide original piece from the 19th century cannot be sold/traded....how is that going to supress the illegal trade in new ivory? Further, i seem to be increasingly seeing various items of silver (mostly 20th century) passing through the salerooms missing handles and finials....guessing that these are ivory elements removed to avoid the £25 ivory exemption registration. This is a sacrileage....although these items today may not be regarded as rare works of art, we are potentialy depriving future generations of their past cultural heritage. I am tempted to say the law is an ass and cynicaly see it as some cost free moral flag waving from Westminster.
Couldn’t agree more. And sadly yes, pieces come through salerooms everyday with the ivory elements (often small but integral) torn off, simply to avoid the £20 registration fee. Quite wrong.
