I think this the final word. You may think the regs. Are bad but alas, there it is … Sell ivory and see the consequences…. Again , over 100 yrs old ivory can be bought and sell , paperwork is vital. I don’t mean to belabor the issue ,

its not that simple to obtain the proper certification-this law is asinine as was written. my opinion:

Antique Dealers

Can I currently sell elephant ivory products within the United States?
African elephant ivory that a seller can demonstrate was lawfully imported prior to January 18, 1990—the date that the African elephant was listed in CITES Appendix I—and ivory imported under a CITES pre-Convention certificate can be sold within the United States (across state lines and within a state). Asian elephant ivory sold in interstate commerce within the United States must meet the strict criteria of the ESA antiques exception.
african-elephant-walking-down-path

Antique piano with ivory keys
Credit: Colin Bewes CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Because the current rules regarding interstate commerce are different for African elephant ivory compared to Asian elephant ivory, a seller must be able to identify the ivory to species. This could be demonstrated using CITES permits or certificates, a qualified appraisal, or documents that detail date and place of manufacture, etc.

Can I currently import antique items containing African elephant ivory for commercial purposes?
No. The Service no longer allows any commercial importation of African elephant ivory. This prohibition, which was originally established via the 1989 African Elephant Conservation Act (AECA) moratorium, applies even to items that qualify as antiques.

Why is the Service allowing limited imports for non-commercial purposes to continue, but restricting the commercial importation of antiques made from African elephant ivory?
The United States is a market for objects made from African elephant ivory, which drives increasing poaching of wild elephants. The Service has determined that it must take every administrative and regulatory action to cut off import of raw and worked elephant ivory where that importation is for commercial purposes. Allowing imports for law enforcement and scientific purposes is in line with the Service’s mission to help conserve African elephants and stop trafficking in African elephant ivory. The other limited exceptions allow movement into the United States of legally possessed African elephant ivory that predates the listing under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for personal use as part of a household move or inheritance, musical performances, and traveling exhibitions. Each of these types of import must meet specific criteria. And unlike the commercial antiques trade, none of these types of imports has been used by smugglers to “cover” trafficking in newly poached ivory

Ivory over 100 years is not banned. The ivory must have documentation to prove it was not Ivory from recently killed animals. Go to customs and immigration websit e and read the regulations regarding buying and selling Ivory. It is pretty specific.

banning the sale of antique ivory is idiotic.

What was the ivory object? Ivory over a hundred years is okay to buy and sell. The restriction on Ivory was made in the 1970’s. I would actually like to see the original photograph the person was writing about.

The reply below maybe unwarranted. New ivory is banned. However, there are means to know if ivory is real or faux. Mammoth Ivory is being sold today.