Revisions to the Ivory Law were just published. While I haven’t read through everything just yet, here is some interesting information from the government.
From “Revisions to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Special Rule for the African Elephant – Questions and Answers” PDF published by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
(https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/questions-and-answers-african-elephant-4d-final-rule.pdf)
“I have a violin bow that contains a small amount of ivory. Under the final rule, will I be able to sell the bow in the United States, export it for sale, or take it overseas for a concert?
If the bow meets the requirements for the de minimis exception, including that the ivory was removed from the wild prior to February 26, 1976, and that the total weight of the ivory is less than 200 grams you will be able to sell it in the United States. If the bow qualifies as an ESA antique you will be able to export it for sale. If the bow meets the requirements for import/export of a musical instrument, including that the ivory was removed from the wild prior to February 26, 1976, it is accompanied by a CITES musical instrument certificate or equivalent CITES document, the bow is securely marked or uniquely identified, and it will not be sold or otherwise transferred while outside the United States (seeparagraph (e)(4) in the proposed rule text for details) you can travel with it internationally for personal use, including to perform in concerts.”
“What is the de minimis exemption?
The final rule provides an exemption from prohibitions on selling or offering for sale in interstate and foreign commerce for certain manufactured items that contain a small (de minimis) amount of ivory that meet the following conditions:
A) If the item is located in the United States, the ivory must have been imported prior to January18, 1990, or imported under a CITES pre-Convention certificate with no limitation on its commercial use.
B) If the item is located outside of the United States, the ivory must have been removed from the wild prior to February 26, 1976.
C) The ivory is a fixed or integral component or components of a larger manufactured item and is not the primary source of the value of the item, that is, the ivory does not account for more than 50 percent of the value of the item.
D) The ivory is not raw.
E) The manufactured item is not made wholly or primarily of ivory , that is, the ivory component or components do not account for more than 50 percent of the item by volume.
F) The total weight of the ivory component or components is less than 200 grams.
G) The item must have been manufactured before the effective date of the final rule.”
Read the full revised rules here (144 pages):
https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/final-rule-african-elephant-4d.pdf
Workshop of Eric Swanson 