OUR EXPERTISE

We authenticate if ivory pieces have been carved by well-known artists of the past. There are about 1,500 ivory carvers that are known by name and for whom there is more or less biographical information. For pieces that are not signed and not monogramed we perform attribution research to determine who is the likely artist.For primitive pieces, tribal items and antiquities made of ivory, we determine if they are authentic and we identify when and where they were made.We appraise the value of items made of ivory or comprising quite a bit of ivory.We date when ivory pieces were made and we provide the Pre-ban documentation that is required to obtain a CITES pre-Convention certificate also known as a Pre-ban certificate. We have been authenticating, attributing, identifying and appraising ivory since the late 1980s resulting in about 30 years of experience with carved ivory.

We REFUSE to provide any services for ivory pieces that we believe to possibly have come from young elephants.

If we have any doubt or any hesitation whether an item was carved before 1970 we DON’T provide any services about it.

We only date and certify items when we are 100 percent certain of their age.