Ivory & Customs

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:14 pm

I haven't (thanks be to Jayzuz!)

Pat.

Uilleann915 · Post by **Uilleann915** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:21 pm

Real ivory? I'll never afford it.

It would have to be an old set to have ivory on it, right? I'm not an ivory connoisseur....how does Customs know it's real or imitation?

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:58 pm

Uilleann915 wrote:....how does Customs know it's real or imitation?

I suppose many years of visual training, scratch testing, UV lights, chemical test, burn tests.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:39 am

As I do not have an ivory mounted set, this is not an issue for me. Someday, when I can afford it, I'd like to have Mammoth ivory on an ebony set... perhaps a C set... hmmmmmmmm.

patrick Jacob · Post by **patrick Jacob** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:30 am

No Ivory for me !
There a many good alternatives, artificial, boxwood, any other kind of wood. The set isn't sounding better with ivory at all. For the elephants I would say NO...........
Besides this a lots of elephants were killed for ivory for a terrible set to.
But for the old sets wich already have it, don't change because of this. But new sets, I think the pipemaker has to take his respobility

http://drake.marin.k12.ca.us/stuwork/se ... asons.html

And this just for luxery............

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:15 am

Mammoth or Fossilized Walrus ivory comes from animals that have been dead many tens of thousands of years... having died of natural causes or disasters.

I am avidly against the slaughter of living beings just for their teeth or horns or fur.

liestman · Post by **liestman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:38 am

Sort of. I do not own any ivory pipes but was driving an elderly Englishman across the Canadian border and we were detained for 3 hours due to his Reid set of Northumbrian pipes with a substantial amount of ivory on them. It took ages to convince them that they were a very long time ago (as was he).

PJ · Post by PJ » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:01 am

Tony wrote:
Uilleann915 wrote:....how does Customs know it's real or imitation?
I suppose many years of visual training, scratch testing, UV lights, chemical test, burn tests.

I recall someone posted a customs document regarding the identification of ivory. From what I recall, much of the identification comes down to the grain. That's how they differenciate between elephant ivory and mammoth or walrus ivory.

Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa · Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:50 am

Took my pipes to Ireland in August, ivory and all. I was nervous but encountered no trouble. An inspector in Shannon monitoring the xray machine quipped with a straight face "I will have to confiscate those", and my stomach was in my mouth, then he chuckled, and said that he wished that he could play them. No problems at all and I traveled on the day that the London airport terrorism plot was squashed.

Neil

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:13 am

liestman wrote:Sort of. I do not own any ivory pipes but was driving an elderly Englishman across the Canadian border and we were detained for 3 hours due to his Reid set of Northumbrian pipes with a substantial amount of ivory on them. It took ages to convince them that they were a very long time ago (as was he).

I do think the Canadian customs agents have an eye out for ivory. When I bought my pipes (in Vermont) and took them back across the border to home, they inspected the set carefully and asked me about the rings (which were imitation ivory, so no problems there).

glands · Post by **glands** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:29 am

I am avidly against the slaughter of living beings just for their teeth or horns or fur.

I agree......lets get 'em for their meat! Vegetarians be gone!

Elmek · Post by **Elmek** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:43 am

Glands wrote:
lets get 'em for their meat! Vegetarians be gone!

What annoys me with all these wildlife programs on TV is they never give suitable recipes

Seriously though - from what I have read and seen Mammoth Ivory does not look different to elephant ivory unless it is heavily stained by minerals. If customs did indeed confiscate a set mounted in it would it be necessary to have it carbon dated to prove it was mammoth and get the instrument back ? How accurate is carbon dating - geologically speaking mammoths only became extinct in recent time. Would a receipt from the maker stating Mammoth Ivory was used be good enough to convince them ?

John

BoneQuint · Post by **BoneQuint** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:00 am

Elmek wrote:from what I have read and seen Mammoth Ivory does not look different to elephant ivory unless it is heavily stained by minerals.

PJ wrote:I recall someone posted a customs document regarding the identification of ivory. From what I recall, much of the identification comes down to the grain. That's how they differenciate between elephant ivory and mammoth or walrus ivory.

http://www.lab.fws.gov/ivory/

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:46 am

glands wrote:
I am avidly against the slaughter of living beings just for their teeth or horns or fur.
I agree......lets get 'em for their meat! Vegetarians be gone!

Hell yes! I haven't eaten me a tasty elephant flank steak in a month of Mondays!!!

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:11 am

If ye carry your CITES certificate with the set then ye will have no problem at all.That is why they print them.It may be a bit of a rigmarole to get one but if ye persist then ye will obtain the certificate.If ye don't have a certificate then ye shouldn't really travel with them.
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam

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