JAMES JULIA AUCTION OCTOBER 7-9, 2014

[George Lander]

Robin: That is strange sure enough. I guess that means from here on out ANY GUN with ANY IVORY will have to be certified or have the ivory removed. What do they do with the ivory that is removed? I can understand the ban on new ivory from elephant poaching, but there should be a better way to address this problem. Perhaps Gunmakers could begin using 100 year old ivory keys.

Best Regards, George

[Bindlestiff]

The way he stated it you can use any ivory you want as long as it is U.S. certified! I think this is ridiculous to say it mildly. Its an election year and here in New Hampshire my representatives are running around "talking" to us and I intend to bring this up to them and demand they address it and fix it. I see no other way around this but to get involved and have the "new regulation" made reasonable or removed.

I know we are not to post political posts but this effects the Parker community directly so I decided to make you aware of the issue.

Today, knowing this, if I sold a Parker with ivory, I would remove it and store it in an envelope to mail to the new owner after the auction. That would allow the gun to stay true and honest.

[Dean Romig]

Jim Julia, being a deeply committed auctioneer of thousands and thousands of antiques and collectible items that have ivory embellishments of one form or another, is extremely concerned with what appears very likely to become enacted into law.

Jim sent a 'Letter to the Editor' to be published in Parker Pages, explaining all of this and how it would negatively affect our beloved firearms and other collectibles, in order to educate folks so they might be inspired to write or call their senators and representative so this 'soon to be' law can be crushed. I apologized that I couldn't publish it because it would put Parker Pages in the position of becoming a political platform and that is something we can not and will not do. Parker Pages has always been and always will be politically neutral.

Outlawing antique ivory on antique collectibles will not have any effect on stopping the nefarious poachers of elephants today.

[Patrick Butler]

Originally Posted by Robin Lewis

I found this auction to be a little more than strange. There were honest Parkers that sold for what the upgrades sold for?

But, the strangest part of the auction was the implementation of a new "executive order" signed in February that U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service is implementing; and Julia is following. The situation is that nobody may sell Asian ivory without it being certified 100 years old or older AND African elephant ivory must be the same or documented under CITES as imported before Jan 18, 1990. Unless the object (gun in this case) has a U.S. Gov ESA Certificate, the object will sell less the ivory! Any of the guns sold at this auction that has ivory will sell but the ivory is removed. So ivory beads on the Parkers will be removed before the high bidder takes the gun. If they want to keep it all original (together) Julia will hold the gun until a certificate is obtained by an outside supplied,at a cost to you of $1,500.

Don't ask me what ESA or CITES are, I don't know and frankly, I don't want to learn either.

I looked in the glass case and there were several nice Colts that have ivory grips with notices attached that the grip don't sell with the gun!

One of our members has a Parker with ivory inlays in the stock, that will look just great with them removed.

Anyone want to buy my old Steinway Piano ..... ivory keys not included?

Speaking of music, many of the very old high-end string instruments found in the great orchestras of the world contain ivory in the body and bows.
I doubt that it's replacement with plastic would do the tone of the instruments much good. I can replace the front bead on a double and it would shoot just as well, but these great orchestras travel often and legally can not even cross state lines withy their instruments. The Berlin Philharmonic in NYC this week and I did not hear of any of their instruments getting confiscated by customs.
That smells like a double-standard.

Call me a naive optimist, but old ivory that makes up a small part of a vintage gun or guitar is one issue where I believe the Fed regulators will come to their senses and change the regulations.

Meanwhile, I am of the opinion that all of the white beads on my guns are plastic replacements-very good ones.

[Dollar]

I am sure the govt has a small fee that allows everyone to comply.That would only be reasonable.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Bob Hayes

I am sure the govt has a small fee that allows everyone to comply.That would only be reasonable.

Yes they do, and to get a letter authenticating the age of the ivory on each and every item will cost you $1,500 per letter today and likely more if this law is allowed to become a reality.

[Bindlestiff]

Originally Posted by Patrick Butler

Speaking of music, many of the very old high-end string instruments found in the great orchestras of the world contain ivory in the body and bows.
I doubt that it's replacement with plastic would do the tone of the instruments much good. I can replace the front bead on a double and it would shoot just as well, but these great orchestras travel often and legally can not even cross state lines withy their instruments. The Berlin Philharmonic in NYC this week and I did not hear of any of their instruments getting confiscated by customs.
That smells like a double-standard.

Call me a naive optimist, but old ivory that makes up a small part of a vintage gun or guitar is one issue where I believe the Fed regulators will come to their senses and change the regulations.

Meanwhile, I am of the opinion that all of the white beads on my guns are plastic replacements-very good ones.

Actually, part of the rant by James Julia on this topic was that, in fact, a visiting orchestra arrived in NYC had their instruments confiscated because of this on entry into the US. After much "to do" they got them back but the international music community has put it out that travel to the US with their instruments isn't a good choice. James said to google this and you will see that travel to the US with a Strataverious(sp?) isn't wise. I have not done that but somehow I believe it.

[Dollar]

We have a gun show this weekend here in Florida.I am curious to see if anyone has heard of this law(reg.).There are alot of vintage guns,grips,beads,etc..
And its $1500 really?

[Dean Romig]

In order to get a letter from the only source Julia's knows of, yes, it is $1,500

[Patrick Butler]

Back to the thread subject, today's JJ auction was a great one to listen to on Proxbid. I watch the site, listen to the auction and always try to bid by phone.

I wish that I had some basic knowledge re all of those great English SXS, but am not sure I want to put the years into the education, which would include several bad buys-My first Parker had the receiver blued...and after several years and five books I have just scratched the surface-which is what make this site so valuable.

I did buy the F. Beesley (2231) 20 with case after speaking to a few PGCA who are English double collectors and feel (OK, hope) I got a deal on the Parker GH Damascus (2443) at 5.5K.