Tusks sold at Texas auction

[Zinz]

Not sure where to post this, but I was curiously watching this auction over the weekend. Two sizeable tusks sold up in Dallas for over $27,500 after fees. Terms stated they could only be sold to Texas residents.

48 and 64 lbs…

Lotta money for someone else’s ivory…

Ed Z

 

[Andrew62]

 

[AimSmall]

Per USFWS:

 

[DillonG]

What is the cost to get replicas made?

 

[Scott CWO]

What is the cost to get replicas made?

My replicas were $1200 in Botswana.

It’s a conundrum if your kids don’t want the ivory. I know my son will keep mine.

 

[DillonG]

I’m just thinking that a resourceful person could use this as a way to fund a portion of an elephant hunt. I personally think having the actual ivory would be very special, but it is an option.

 

[Scott CWO]

I’m just thinking that a resourceful person could use this as a way to fund a portion of an elephant hunt. I personally think having the actual ivory would be very special, but it is an option.

It has to be old ivory imported before the CITES I designation in 1989. Mine from 2021 can never be sold.

 

[DillonG]

It has to be old ivory imported before the CITES I designation in 1989. Mine from 2021 can never be sold.

Not that you would sell your ivory, of course. It is unfortunate though as that could have been a means for a prospective elephant hunter funding a safari. It seems that lawmakers like to make life more difficult for the hunter.

 

[Zinz]

I suppose my curiosity lies in the buyer… why spend that kinda dough on someone else’s trophy, when reproduction tusks are available?

 

[Scott CWO]

I suppose my curiosity lies in the buyer… why spend that kinda dough on someone else’s trophy, when reproduction tusks are available?

I guess ivory has an intrinsic value all its own. Much like any scarce commodity.

 

[Zinz]

I guess ivory has an intrinsic value all its own. Much like any scarce commodity.

True enough. I have no idea what an intricately carved tusk sells for, but if the base material is that much, a finished piece must be 10x…?? No idea…

 

[mark-hunter]

Lotta money for someone else’s ivory…

I would never buy someone elses trophy.
But apparently there is a market for it.
Restaurants, hunting shops, museums, etc.....

 

[WyoBull]

Could have been the original owner got replicas made and then sold the real ivory for whatever reason is unknown to the public.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I'm betting these will get "stolen" from new owner in short order and then smuggled out of the country. Not hard to do. Texas borders Mexico ... and anything goes down there!

 

[deewayne2003]

I suppose my curiosity lies in the buyer… why spend that kinda dough on someone else’s trophy, when reproduction tusks are available?

Not that hard to figure out.... I've been told that raw ivory in China sells for $800-$1,500 per pound.

So for 112lbs of Ivory your looking at a value from $89,600-$168,000.... Purchased for $27,000

There are LOTS of Asian people living in Texas that would have made that purchase all day long and twice on Sunday.

 

[Rare Breed]

What is the cost to get replicas made?

Collets in both Zim and SA are about $1,000 to $1,500 depending on choices

 

[Tanks]

Back in the day quite a number of Chinese would come to Zim on an elephant hunt. Literally fire in the air and have the PH follow-up and kill the elephant for them. Cheap ivory (relative to cost in China).

 

[SETH RINGER]

THAT IS A BUNCH OF PISTOL GRIPS, KNIFE SCALES, GUITAR PICKS, ETC.

 

[Zinz]

Not that hard to figure out.... I've been told that raw ivory in China sells for $800-$1,500 per pound.

So for 112lbs of Ivory your looking at a value from $89,600-$168,000.... Purchased for $27,000

There are LOTS of Asian people living in Texas that would have made that purchase all day long and twice on Sunday.

These are the numbers I was looking for... and yes, illicit export is also on my mind.

Anyways...

 

[deewayne2003]

These are the numbers I was looking for... and yes, illicit export is also on my mind.

Anyways...

Yep and as mentioned, that’s a lot of grips, handles, ect ….

No telling what the “value added” total would be in the secondary finished product for anything from knives to handles for extremely high end ladies hairbrushes that are also a status symbol for certain cultures.