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I have this old piano with real ivory keys...


johnkline

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I've just decided to get rid of this piano since I need to make some space in the basement. It's looks nice, built in 1904. I really just bought it for looks, but I know the keys are made of ivory. I've never investigated it's worth, or if it could be restored or tuned. I wonder if it's worth parting out, even for just the keys :-)

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Not sure what the law is for recycling ivory keys, but assume it's along the lines of recycling real tortoise-shell, as both come from an endangered species.

 

Obviously, due to it's age, your possessing it is not a problem, but you selling the ivory keys might be a CITES violation, so be sure to investigate before you proceed.

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If the sound board is intact, it's a possible candidate for restoration. If not, it might be a bagger. If it is restorable, it might cost more than you are willing to put into it. First priority is to preserve the instrument if at all possible. If not, the entire keyboard action, cabinetry and other parts might be of use to a restoration dude as a source of period parts. The sound board, even if split, could be useful to a luthier for tops. If it's a total loss, the ivory veneer may be the most valuable thing on it. If you decide to harvest that, pay heed to Terry. The endangered species stuff is serious. Even if it turns out to be whale bone. I think I'd rather pay somebody $1000 to restore one in my house than have to move one of the damned things again.

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You should be OK provided you sell domestically. If you intend to sell internationally, you would need CITES certificates to prove it was pre-banned ivory. In fact (not that you would likely sell the piano intact internationally) even if you sold the instrument as is, CITES would require proof that the ivory was legal if/when it crosses the border.

( represents only my understanding)

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It's perfectly legal to buy and sell ivory inside the USA. Ebay used to be loaded with jewelry items made from real dead elephant ivory. I think Ebay banned the items for their own personal reasons. It's importation and exportation of ivory that's illegal.

 

For example here's the guy I buy my ivory bridge blanks from. He's a pool cue supplier. They run about $12 a piece these days.

 

There's lots of raw ivory and ivory products circulating inside the United States. The idea of totally banning international ivory sales is controversial. Many conservationists believe that the main factor limiting elephant populations is lack of land. Using ivory sales from elephants that have naturally died (or from herd thinning to avoid overpopulation starvations) to purchase land might be more beneficial. Others feel that it just cultivates demand. It's a tricky issue. Personally when I see African government agents burning huge bonfires of confiscated elephant tusks, I can't help but think that selling that ivory and using the proceeds to help remaining elephants through conservation makes more sense. The elephants are dead anyway, at least use the confiscated tusks to financially support conservation efforts and policing efforts, instead of just burning them up.

 

link

 

 

Link

 

one more...

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Kenya Elephant

 

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after

graduating from Northwestern University.

 

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull

elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The

elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very

carefully.

 

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot

and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As

carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood

out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant

gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the

man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at

him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking

of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant

trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never

forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

 

Over twenty years later, Peter was walking through the

Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the

elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked

over so it was close to where Peter and his son Cameron were

standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted

its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The

elephant did that several times and then trumpeted loudly,

all the while staring at the man.

 

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help

wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up

his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into

the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared

back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its

trunk around one of Peter legs, and slammed him against the

railing, killing him instantly.

 

It probably wasn't the same elephant.

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Kenya Elephant


In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after

graduating from Northwestern University.


On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull

elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The

elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very

carefully.


He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot

and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As

carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood

out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant

gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the

man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at

him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking

of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant

trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never

forgot that elephant or the events of that day.


Over twenty years later, Peter was walking through the

Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the

elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked

over so it was close to where Peter and his son Cameron were

standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted

its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The

elephant did that several times and then trumpeted loudly,

all the while staring at the man.


Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help

wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up

his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into

the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared

back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its

trunk around one of Peter legs, and slammed him against the

railing, killing him instantly.


It probably wasn't the same elephant.

 

 

A classic. And well told!

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It's perfectly legal to buy and sell ivory inside the USA. Ebay used to be loaded with jewelry items made from real dead elephant ivory. I think Ebay banned the items for their own personal reasons. It's importation and exportation of ivory that's illegal.




There's lots of raw ivory and ivory products circulating inside the United States. The idea of totally banning international ivory sales is controversial. Many conservationists believe that the main factor limiting elephant populations is lack of land. Using ivory sales from elephants that have naturally died (or from herd thinning to avoid overpopulation starvations) to purchase land might be more beneficial. Others feel that it just cultivates demand. It's a tricky issue. Personally when I see African government agents burning huge bonfires of confiscated elephant tusks, I can't help but think that selling that ivory and using the proceeds to help remaining elephants through conservation makes more sense. The elephants are dead anyway, at least use the confiscated tusks to financially support conservation efforts and policing efforts, instead of just burning them up.







 

 

The main problem with elephant ivory is that you can never be 100% certain of the source; in selling confiscated tusks you are still profiting from poaching regardless of what use you put the money to.

Furthermore there is a great deal of corruption among African bureaucracies and burning illegally obtained ivory ensures none gets snuck out the back door.

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well, here we go again. and as usual any time an attempt to simplify something that is inherently very complicated the whole mess just becomes further muddied and cloud-covered.

"South Africa, Botswana and Namibia has finally sold the ivory stockpiles approved for sale by the United Nations conservation authorities six years ago.

Early last year, tons of African ivory was sold at auction to Japan. Despite the international ban on the trade, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia was allowed (by CITES) a one-time purge of their stockpiled ivory. Conservationists hope the sale won't reignite widespread demand for elephant tusks. Proceeds from the sale are used to fight further poaching."

 

"A limited sale of the ivory was approved by a Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora standing committee."

"The one-off sale of 30 tons of stockpiled ivory by South Africa, 20 tons by Botswana and 10 tons by Namibia had been delayed because certain criteria had not been met ... "

 

as for me, I can't think of any reason why I need to purchase anything made of elephant ivory, legal or otherwise. Maybe I just don't care enough about the tone of my guitars or their appearance. Maybe these 56 year old ears and eyes are simply incapable of proper scrutiny. and maybe that's not all bad.

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Elephants need lots of land to graze on in order to survive. Their the earth's largest land herbivore. The way things are now, there are areas where they are starving from overpopulation... because they aren't being hunted and there's not enough land to support their increasing numbers. At that point you can either thin the herd to avoid a mass starvation that would kill all of them, or figure out a way to purchase more protected land for them. I can see how a sustained management of their populations is probably more beneficial to just making it illegal to hunt them and enforcing that... and assuming that solves the problem. Thinning the heard of some males and maybe purchasing land and manpower to support their survival might be the answer.

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