Thread: Does anyone have any experience with transporting ivory?

Hey,

Thanks to the classifieds from here, I recently acquired an antique (pre-WW2) straight razor with ivory scales.

However, I am going to be travelling overseas soon (SE Asia), and I was hoping to take it with me, partly because it's a great shaver, and partly because I don't want it to go out of sight for three weeks. I find it difficult to stop looking at (I'm sure you're all overly attached to your razors too), or if there's a burglary/ fire, I wouldn't want to lose it.

Due to the UK being the UK, there's a lot of restrictions on what you can or can't do/ bring/ say/ think.
When the seller sent it to me, it only travelled from within the EU, and he still had to pay quite a bit for the appropriate certificates.

So, is there any way that I would be able to carry my razor with me while I travel?
Any information would be appreciated, especially since I intend to leave the UK in a few years.

I would advise against taking a razor that you are very attached to(especially if it ,might get confiscated) with you when you travel by air, you never know what's going to happen to your luggage.

If I were you, I'd take either a beater razor, a DE/shavette or even a multi-blade abomination.

It's listed in SITES, you need a permit to export it outside of EU.
I'd recommend you to let it stay home.

Originally Posted by Baxxer

If I were you, I'd take either a beater razor, a DE/shavette or even a multi-blade abomination.

Originally Posted by Lemur

It's listed in SITES, you need a permit to export it outside of EU.
I'd recommend you to let it stay home.

I had a horrible feeling that that would happen. I refuse to use the sort of razor that women would use to shave their legs, so I think I'll just take a cheap shavette, or possibly a less beautiful razor, as you suggested.

When I leave the UK permanently, would I just have to get a SITES certificate?

Yes, to export it legally you would, but it's hard to get even for museums, I'd just pack it with all my other shaving things and let lady luck have a go.

Originally Posted by Lemur

Yes, to export it legally you would, but it's hard to get even for museums, I'd just pack it with all my other shaving things and let lady luck have a go.

Ehh.... I'd rather not get prosecuted if possible. Didn't you recommend to leave it earlier?

I'll keep it in the UK for now, then when I finally get the opportunity to move overseas, to the US, I'll get the documentation required.

The only situation I can think of, where it gets confiscated, is when they scan it and see the razors. Then when they open the case to inspect them, they find that they're ivory. So I'll see what happens with bone razors, since they look similar to the untrained eye.

Hopefully, none of the NSA ****s reading this will think I'm planning on smuggling ivory, because I can assure you that I'm not.

Haha, yes leave it for your trip but if your moving then pack it!

Even if it's legal ivory the custom can give you lots of trouble, they say it's their job!

It's CITES, I had it wrong, check here; Welcome to CITES
and then see who's in charge of permits in the UK, probably some agriculture department or such.

Wow! As you're not going to be able to Carry it on the plane I really don't trust unlocked checked luggage. My suitcase was lost for 12 hrs in Orlando 2yrs ago. I had 2 weeks of shave stuff in it, along with my electronics and my daughter flute.
It all showed up but it was a lesson I won't forget. And no. I didn't have added insurance on it.