Ivory Piano Keys

July 18, 2013

Question: My mother has an old piano that has been in her family for about 70 years and she needs to sell it. She says it has ivory keys. We were wondering if it would violate any Fish and Game laws to sell it? If so, any suggestions? (Cathi D.)

Answer: African and Asian elephants are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principle federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing the ESA and CITES, and federal regulations do allow for some elephant ivory to be owned, bought, and sold. You should contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (800) 344-9453 or their website at www.fws.gov for further information regarding federal restrictions.

As far as state regulations, the California Penal Code section 653o (a) says, “It is unlawful to import into this state for commercial purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell within the state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of any … elephant.”

Call a large piano dealer and ask them how they deal with it.  The Ca regs really screw things up for antique dealers, collectors, and people with pre-ban items.  Folks are trying to get the rules changed so the new stuff is kept out, but  the obviously old stuff can be sold. You might sell it privately or take it to Nevada or Oregon.

We have a 100+ year old baby grand with ivory keys, the biggest thing was to get a CITES certification, then there were at least a thousand hoops.

Ended up keeping it in the end, but it is possible.