Ivory handle

Tatyana Dianova · 4th March 2010, 09:26 AM

Detlef,
Be very careful with the ivory import!
I have bought once in the USA a nice antique Netsuke made from ivory, and it was confiscated by the German customs. If the customs will open the parcel and will see the ivory, and if the CITES papers are not included there, it will be 100% confiscated!
The seller should recieve the CITES paper in his country before sending the ivory - there is no way for you or him to get CITES paper afterwards!!!! I have contactes CITES, I have contacted people in German customs and some German ministry responsible for nature (I do not remember which exactly :-), but there is really no way to get your ivory back from customs hands, if they fetch it without papers! Even if it is really more than 100 years old!
Even more painful was the fact that after the confiscation this very ministry has started an investigation about illegal import of ivory from my side, and said that it is a criminal thing! I think that they wanted to get some money from me, but I was lucky (and clever :-) enough to explain all this matter in such a way that they left me in peace :-)
If I would ever again buy ivory outside the EU, I would contact the seller and ask him to make the CITES papers before sending....

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4th March 2010, 09:26 AM	#16
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 737	Detlef, Be very careful with the ivory import! I have bought once in the USA a nice antique Netsuke made from ivory, and it was confiscated by the German customs. If the customs will open the parcel and will see the ivory, and if the CITES papers are not included there, it will be 100% confiscated! The seller should recieve the CITES paper in his country before sending the ivory - there is no way for you or him to get CITES paper afterwards!!!! I have contactes CITES, I have contacted people in German customs and some German ministry responsible for nature (I do not remember which exactly :-), but there is really no way to get your ivory back from customs hands, if they fetch it without papers! Even if it is really more than 100 years old! Even more painful was the fact that after the confiscation this very ministry has started an investigation about illegal import of ivory from my side, and said that it is a criminal thing! I think that they wanted to get some money from me, but I was lucky (and clever :-) enough to explain all this matter in such a way that they left me in peace :-) If I would ever again buy ivory outside the EU, I would contact the seller and ask him to make the CITES papers before sending....