Sensitive subject - ivory

[RRfromR]

Hi all, my dad worked in Africa in the late 60s, decades before the ivory trade became illegal, and he was gifted a lot of ivory jewelry from his local business partners. I enherited all of it and don't know what to do with it. Would you wear it? Donate it but where? I can't trash it. To make things worse, I'm an environmentalist at heart and very involved with the native plant society, protection of native species, so I have a heavy heart about this.

 

[FL_runner]

Do you think any museums would be interested? I’m in a similar position as I’ve inherited some antique whalebone items which I would not choose not purchase or wear and I have just held on to them. They are modest items in my case.

 

[lovedogs]

I have a slightly different take than @FL_runner . I agree that ivory, whalebone, and other items like them are controversial, and I certainly wouldn't want to feel as though I were contributing to the trade of such items by buying them new. BUT, if they were handed down to me/given, I think I would try to wear them to honor the elephants/whales from whom they were taken. Again, just my take!

 

[stracci2000]

Here's a previous discussion.

What To Do With Ivory?

Hi everyone, I have an ivory necklace that was gifted to me when I was a young child and did not know what ivory actually was or how it is obtained. I don't wear it because I don't feel comfortable about it, but it has sentimental value so I don't want to get rid of it (plus I don't want to...

www.pricescope.com

 

[dk168]

I don't have any ivory jewellery, however there are ivory ornaments in the family that would be passed down to me and my brother eventually.

I would probably donate them to museums.

However I still have and use my ivory chopsticks on a regular basis. I had them over 50 years ago since I was a child when I was old enough to eat with them, so they are kind of sentimental.

DK

 

[stracci2000]

I have some ivory, too.
A bit of scrimshaw, two 1950s beaded necklaces, a few carvings, a netsuke and some assorted jewelry. And I have one chopstick! All vintage.

All acquired from thrift stores and yard sales. All of these pieces are pre-ban, of course. Most times, sellers don't even know what they have.

If I see it, I get it. Just to recognize and honor the elephant.
I don't wear the jewelry.

 

[pearlsngems]

I have some whale bone scrimshaw and elephant ivory jewelry that is pre-ban. It has sentimental memories associated with it, and I do wear it on occasion.
I will never sell it; my daughter will inherit it and can decide if she enjoys wearing it. If not it will be up to her what to do with it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

it's a hard one for sure
you might have to do some deep soul searching to come to something that you can live with
the poor old elaphant is long dead, but you dont want to encourage demand, i like the museaum idea but if its nice jewlery and you like it then wear it and honour jumbo

not sure about whale bone ?
Maori craftsmen here are suually gifted dead whales that wash up on the beach, so i was unawear that whale bone was frowned on as bone jewlery is sold and worn a lot here

 

[pearlsngems]

Actually I misspoke-- what I have is whale tooth scrimshaw, not bone. FWIW

 

[MrsC Jewelry]

Hi all, my dad worked in Africa in the late 60s, decades before the ivory trade became illegal, and he was gifted a lot of ivory jewelry from his local business partners. I enherited all of it and don't know what to do with it. Would you wear it? Donate it but where? I can't trash it. To make things worse, I'm an environmentalist at heart and very involved with the native plant society, protection of native species, so I have a heavy heart about this.

RR, not an easy decision to make. I had an ivory chest set that I inherited from a family friend, he was stationed in Asia in the 60's. I wasn't sure what to do with it, and it wasn't in the best of shape. I had a friend who's grandson wanted to learn to play chest so I gave it to them. It was nice to know it was being used, serving a purpose, not just packed away in a box.

Donating to a museum is a good suggestion. Also the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services accepts donations, and iirc they use them for education purposes about animal conservation.

 

[dk168]

Plenty of ivory items on sale in shops selling Chinese goods in HK when I went back for visits between 2009 and 2015.

When asked about their age and origin, the first thing the SAs would say to me was "old stock, old stock"!

Go figure!

DK

 

[missy]

I would donate to animal rights causes

ETA My mom did that with her mink coats

 

[glitterata]

Museums are not going to take ivory items unless they're extremely old, rare, and important--and probably not even then. Museums only accept gifts that they really need (care and storage are EXPENSIVE) or that they can sell. They can't sell ivory, so they won't accept it.