This is what my Craig was talking about, I think. My Bassot that he restored has all 10,000 year-old mammoth ivory, not African or Asian elephant, except for the original white keys that were still there, but we don't have the documentation on that, so that instrument has to stay here in the US.
M. Boudet says he is CITES compliant and I see and have played his instruments here in the US. So, it must work somehow. Barbara On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 5:30 AM, Colin <[email protected]>wrote: > There's a snag with ivory. The item must have been made before a certain > date (differs with country - I think it's 1973 in the US and 1957 in the UK) > and must be in an unaltered state (i.e. taking an antique ivory item and > remaking it into something else means it cannot be offered for sale although > it isn't illegal to own it). > If the HG dates from before the date and the ivory is therefore legal, > there shouldn't be a problem provided the permits are in order. > http://www.fws.gov/permits/faqs/FaqB.html > refers to parts on bagpipes but ivory is ivory and it also covers the > reworking and alteration of anything with ivory on it. > A repair to the inlay would make it a new item and illegal. > If it was deemed illegal, the item is confiscated and you can't get it > back. > > Colin Hill. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Gayman" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 4:18 AM > Subject: Re: [HG-new] shipping from France > > > > > Barbara, > > With the proper documentation and knowledge of what you will experience you > have nothing to fear. The main point here is that they are just doing their > job and trying to certify that the items entering the US are legal and the > proper duty is being paid. They do not want ot keep your item nor do they > want to send it back. > > I bought some glassware from the Czech Republic that they shipped to me > using Czech Kroner as the value. I later got a tax bill for $3,200 for $300 > dollars of glassware. It took me three weeks to convince FedEx that 32,00 CK > is not the same as $32,000. I finally got it worked out and sent them the > $23 I actually owed them. > > Scott > > Barbara Currier <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thank you, Scott. This is very helpful. >> >> Barbara >> >> On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 8:56 PM, Scott Gayman <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hello Barbara, >>> >>> If Mr Boudet includes a statement and cetificate in the box, not on the >>> outside or in the shipping docs, that states origin and source of the >>> ivory >>> it should be just fine. Whatever you do don't call attention to the >>> package >>> or the ivory. Customs may hold it up if they do a full inspection but it >>> is >>> just as likely that they will not even bother with it at all. It is >>> acceptable to include the documents inside the box especially for a >>> shipper >>> that is unfamiliar with the shipping requirements of the US. >>> >>> They will try to tax you on it if they think that it is a trade item >>> that >>> they can tax you on. Have Mr Boudet label it as "hurdy gurdy in bagpipe >>> D" >>> or "Vielle a roue en cornemuse Re". When they ask you what it is, if they >>> bother to ask, tell them that it is like a mechanical bagpipe. >>> Bagpipes are not taxable items in the US but hurdy gurdies are not listed >>> so they usually have no clue what it is. DON'T say that it is like a >>> mechanical violin. Violins are heavily taxed and customs is well >>> aquainted >>> with them. >>> >>> The basics are this, Customs is looking for items entering into the US >>> that >>> are taxable based on production of that item here in the US. It is >>> designed >>> to protect the tax status of US manufacturers and even out the playing >>> field >>> for US companies that are paying taxes. There are very few bagpipe makers >>> in >>> the US and virtually none of them are interested in paying hundreds of >>> thousands of dollars to protect their tax status. The same goes for hurdy >>> gurdies, but since they are an uncommon instrument, Customs is unfamiliar >>> with them and doesn't understand the tax status. So claiming that they >>> are >>> bagpipes does not really endanger our tax system. >>> >>> If you ship with Fedex or UPS they will get the hurdy gurdy through using >>> their people. Make sure that you use the word "bagpipe" often with them. >>> They rarely open an item for ivory ( the protection of elephants and the >>> world awareness of ivory for sale has led to a huge reduction of ivory >>> trade >>> except through China). >>> >>> Scott >>> >>> Barbara Currier <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >Hi, folks, >>> > >>> >My Boudet hurdy gurdy will be finished next month and I'll need to have >>> >it >>> >shipped from France to Oregon. My husband is sure it will be confiscated >>> >when it gets here because there is ivory and mother-of-pearl on it and >>> he's >>> >on lutherie e-lists that have related horror stories. I know M. Boudet >>> uses >>> >old ivory and works in CITES compliance. However, to be sure, what >>> >documentation needs to be with the instrument to prove to any U.S. >>> >inspectors that it's legal? M. Boudet asked me to find out. I emailed >>> >the >>> >Department of Fish and Wildlife, but they haven't responded. >>> > >>> >Thanks for any help you give this nervous Nellie, >>> >Barbara >>> > >>> >-- >>> >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> >Groups "hurdygurdy" group. >>> >To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> >[email protected] >>> >For more options, visit this group at >>> >http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy >>> > >>> >The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found >>> >at >>> http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from >>> new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "hurdygurdy" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected] >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy >>> >>> The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found >>> at >>> http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from >>> new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "hurdygurdy" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy >> >> The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at >> http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from >> new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from > new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from > new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
