UK ban on trade in ivory in force from 6th June 2022

[jazzyvee]

Looks like my Dragon Magic guitar is gonna be a keeper.
Cruel trade in ivory to be illegal from today as world leading ban takes effect - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Also
Dealing in items containing ivory or made of ivory - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Worth noting for anyone trading instruments containing Ivory to or from UK citizens.

[edwardofhuncote]

There are probably ways of getting around it, legal ones, involving documentation from Alembic involving the sourcing. But if I were you I would just keep it anyway. I mean, how many Magic Dragon guitars are there in the world?

[StephenR]

One luthier I know now uses "Mastodon Tusk"... or at least that is the way it is documented. California banned ivory in 2015, illegal to possess something made of or containing ivory with the intent to sell, or to offer for sale, no use or import allowed.

Such a cool and unique guitar, worth keeping.

[jazzyvee]

The ivory in the guitar is antique ivory, reclaimed from a piano keyboard. I’m not going to test that law by looking for legal loopholes. If i was going to sell it i guess i have to get the ivory replaced.

[edwardofhuncote]

The ivory in the guitar is antique ivory, reclaimed from a piano keyboard. I’m not going to test that law by looking for legal loopholes. If i was going to sell it i guess i have to get the ivory replaced.

That's funny (coincidental) this is exactly what I use; reclaimed piano keys. I didn't know that about your guitar! This is one of our banjo headstocks, inlaid entirely of repurposed piano keys. The truss rod cover/nameplate too.

[jazzyvee]

Maybe this is the impetus i need to make it my go to guitar. As it happens in the last 2 days i’ve been offered two local guitar gigs. One as part of the band for a saxophonist at a jazz festival and one as dep guitarist for another band at a reggae festival. Should be fun.

[keith_h]

Wow that could be a real killer for folks who have legal ivory in their instruments newer than 1975. I went through the help application the website refers to and according to it their is no way to get an exemption for instruments made after 1975 that contain elephant ivory. You would have thought their would be some type of exemptions for recycled ivory but I guess that would be logical so does not apply to governments. The only way I could see getting around the law would be likely be illegal but hard to prove. That would be using gifting exemption both ways but it would require subterfuge to keep the transfers from being tied together.

[lbpesq]

You could “de-fang” and “de-claw” Dragon Magic, replacing the Ivory with another material.  I suspect the ban wouldn’t apply to the Pink Ivory wood tongue.

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

I did speak to Jaydee a few years ago about doing that but they were so busy with orders. They are a really small family business with massive order sheets so not gonna happen anytime soon.

[jazzyvee]

I Think i might try to contact customs and find out what i would need to do if i wanted to sell it or how to go about getting an exemption certificate if i get the ivory was replaced.

[mica]

We recently finished a de-ivorying of a vintage bass and are preparing to export it next week. It's not cheap but it is the way to be able to sell or travel safely with the guitar.

[rv_bass]

I was skimming through some of the US Fish and Wildlife guidance on ivory today.  Looks like there might be some exceptions for ivory in antique instruments, and those newer instruments with ivory obtained through acceptable sources prior to 1976, but I would have to look into it further since it looks like the laws and regulations may have changed a few times over the past decade or so.

[jazzyvee]

I just followed the guidance checker on the gov web site and the response i cannot trade. So. i will have to find a solution.

The alternatives stated are, keep it, give it away or leave it to someone in my will.

[jazzyvee]

We recently finished a de-ivorying of a vintage bass and are preparing to export it next week. It's not cheap but it is the way to be able to sell or travel safely with the guitar.

Once you finished to de-ivorying job did you have to get/provide a certificate to prove that all ivory is removed before shipping?

[mica]

Since I export under license from the US Fish and Wildlife department all the time, I don't expect to need to state anything once there is no ivory. The documents must be signed under penalty of perjury in regards the animal products contained, so a declaration on the invoice of something like "contains no ivory. All ivory colored materials are synthetic" should suffice.

That being said, we are providing the customer with photos of the ivory being removed, the synthetic ivory being inlaid, and a sample of the synthetic ivory for comparison/testing if needed.