[A. G. Maisey]

This thread has moved away a bit from the way in which it began. In this case I do not think that this is an undesirable thing, but rather we have moved into an area of discussion that in my opinion it is essential that all of us who move edged weapons across borders, & who might like to move ivory, & other regulated substances across borders, need to understand.

In so far as edged weapons & Australia are concerned, I do not find the Federal laws & regulations to be at all difficult to navigate. In the past, some of the people involved in administering these laws have been difficult, but that simply requires a re-education of those people, which can be achieved by working through the process. This can be time consuming and annoying, but really, not all that difficult.

The state laws & regulations are another matter, & entry of an item into Australia depends upon satisfying the requirements of State laws & regulations, as well as Federal. Ian lives in Victoria, which has had notoriously difficult legislation to navigate, for people with an interest in the type of things that are discussed here. I live in New South Wales, our legislation can be no less daunting than Victoria's legislation, but it can be worked through, it is just a matter of working through a process, and in all honesty it has never caused me any real difficulty at all. It has cost me time, it has never cost me money, & I have rather enjoyed the interactions with politicians & the bureaucracy.

However, when we need to address the ivory matter, that is an entirely different kettle of fish. Once you enter the ivory arena you are faced with hurdles that truly are impossible to jump, circumvent, or crawl under, and when you have paid out the not inconsiderable amounts of money required to obtain the necessary documentation, you then find that you are faced with a truly magnificent Catch 22.

To illustrate the idiocy & illegality that surrounds the ivory matter in America, & has done so even before the current administration, it is educational to be aware of the Harpsichord Incident that occurred in 2014. I had forgotten all the details of this abomination of American bureaucracy, so I asked AI to write the outline of it for me. Here is the short, sad story of the Persecuted Harpsichord:-

AI generated

In 2014, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) agents seized an 18th-century antique French harpsichord from a home in Connecticut because its keys were veneered with pre-Convention elephant ivory. The seizure was part of intensified enforcement of stricter ivory ban regulations under the Endangered Species Act, targeting ivory trade despite the instrument's age. [1, 2, 3]

Key Details of the Matter:

• The Instrument: A valuable 18th-century harpsichord featuring original ivory keyboard veneers.

• The Action: FWS officials seized the antique, highlighting the difficulty in transporting or selling historic instruments with ivory, regardless of their historical significance or pre-ban origin.

• Context: While owning ivory is legal, the sale, import, or interstate commerce of elephant ivory is highly regulated and often prohibited, catching many collectors and musicians off guard.

• Significance: The case emphasized that even antique ivory (from before 1975) is subject to strict regulations, prompting many to use alternatives like wood, bone, or mammoth ivory in restorations. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
This incident created significant concern among musicians and collectors regarding the legal standing of historical pianos, harpsichords, and organs with ivory keys. [1, 2]

• Ivory on organ keys - MusicaSacra Church Music Forum


The moral of this story might be that where ivory is concerned one does not even mention "ivory" & "America", in the same breath.

I am not certain of the truth of what I am about to write, but this has been mentioned to me by a couple of American citizens, so it might have some substance. It would seem that some states in the USA are considering making it a Capital Offence to pronounce the word "ivory" in a public place.