Q: I was office manager for a renowned big game hunter, lecturer, photographer, and fisherman. In 1970 he gave me a bracelet he said was made from elephant hair. Can you give me any information about such a bracelet? I'm wondering how the value of something like this will be affected by the new law about ivory. The bracelet has seven strands of hair, or it could be just one long one. They are slipped through knots of hairs so that the bracelet is adjustable.

A: Elephant hair bracelets have been made for over a thousand years. They are supposed to protect the wearer from harm, ward off sickness, and bring good luck. Aviatrix Amelia Earhart wore an elephant bracelet for years but was not wearing it on her last flight in 1937 when her plane disappeared. Your bracelet is made from the elephant’s tail hairs, which can be 2-3 feet long. The hairs are trimmed to a uniform thickness and boiled to soften them so they can be molded into shape. Poachers kill elephants for their tusks but might also harvest the tail hair and sell it. Reputable companies sell elephant hair jewelry made from hair that's shed naturally and found on the ground–that's legal. Wear your bracelet; the natural oil on your skin will help preserve it. Your vintage elephant hair bracelet is worth about $35-$50.