South Australian collectors ‘nervous’ ahead of touted ivory trade ban

The domestic trade of ivory and rhino horn in Australia is expected to end soon — but not everyone is happy about it as auction houses say their stockpiles will soon be “worthless”.

Ivory products at auction house Small and Whitfield. Picture: Brenton Edwards/AAP

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Auction houses across the country are concerned with the government’s proposal of a complete ban of domestic trade in elephant ivory and said their accumulating stocks of antique ivory will be “worthless” in the near future.

The National Environment Minister Sussan Ley in August announced a formal intention to close the domestic trade of elephant ivory and rhino horn in Australia.

Ministers across the country met earlier this month of which Environment Minister of South Australia David Speirs attended.

An environment department spokesperson said the meeting was held to discuss “appropriate mechanisms to eliminate domestic trade in ivory and rhinoceros horn, including working with relevant trading houses”.

“As a Party to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Australian Government is committed to protecting species at risk from poaching and illegal wildlife trade,” the spokesperson said.

Managing Director and Valuer at Small and Whitfield auction house, David Kabbani said he sells his fair share of ivory at his Parkside store.

“I am very much in agreeance of the proposed new ruling to ban the domestic trade of ivory,” Mr Kabbani said.

“However then next stage really concerns me. If ivory is totally banned for sale it will inevitably become worthless, then if these items are worthless collectors will cease collecting them and they will disappear off the face of the earth.”

Mr Kabbani said he had noticed his clients selling their collections in recent times due to fear of the items becoming worthless in the near future.

“The prices have already plummeted since the announcement was thrown around, before this, the prices were phenomenal and rightly so.”

Auction houses say ivory prices have plummeted since talk of the domestic trade ban began. Picture: Brenton Edwards/AAP

Lynette Cunnington, an Asian Art Specialist from online auction trade house Theodore Bruce said collectors are nervous about having an ivory object if it is going to be illegal in the future.

“The interest in ivory has fallen away due to the time … and cost to get a CITIES export permit with proof of provenance,” Ms Cunnington said.

Theodore Bruce will set a date before 2021 where they will no longer trade in any taxidermy or ivory.

Louise Pfeiffer, spokesperson for the Animal Justice Party in South Australia said the party supports the full ban of domestic trade in rhino horn and elephant ivory.

Ms Pfeiffer said the trade itself is leading to animal poaching.

“We owe it to future generations through global leadership (to ban the trade all together).”

A statutory review of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is currently underway.

The environment department spokesperson said the matter remains in the hands of the Australian Government to determine changes once the review is complete.

Originally published as South Australian collectors ‘nervous’ ahead of touted ivory trade ban