New York Antique Dealers Protest New Ivory Sales Restrictions
- August 26, 2014 23:30
A new law passed in New York by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Aug. 12 has some antique dealers up in arms. Stricter rules on the sale of ivory and harsher violators penalties has prompted dealers to talk about moving out of state to do business.
The law is meant to curb poaching of endangered species and prohibits the sale of ivory pieces less than 100 years old. It also bans the sale of pieces comprised of more than 20 percent ivory.
Dealers opposing the restrictions say ivory sales will no longer be viable. In Chinese antiques, for example, entire pieces are carved in ivory, inlaid heavily with it, or made solely of it, such as netsuke and snuff bottles.
