Real Ivory 1911 Grips? Legal? Value?

[BirdsThaWord]

16305So I’ve started ebaying again and I am going through my “extras” bin to sell off my priceless take off parts.
A few years ago I bought a rather pricey little kimber officer sized 1911 (forget if it was the cdp or tle as I’ve had both) and some extra grips. The gentleman I bought it from stated that he had purchased real ivory grips at a steal for $200, and that I could have them for $100 with the gun. They were beautiful, and I had the dough, so I said yes.
I’ve looked up how to tell fake from real and they pass the tests (graining, no dot’s like bone, hot needle does nothing when I tried to poke a hole in them from the backside.
So, my question is, can I legally sell these, or do I have to pass them to my grandkids? If legal, how much should I ask? I’d of course like my $100 back, with any profit on my investment if feasible. Anyone in the know on this stuff?
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[BirdsThaWord]

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[gb6491]

Nice looking grips. I'm not going to pretend I know anything definitive about selling ivory, but as I did have a passing interest in a set of grips once, I can give you are starting point for research: https://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/ivory-ban-questions-and-answers.html

[Bawanna]

It depends a lot on when they were made and what kind of animal the ivory came from. The one set I made was Hippo tooth and is still legal now if my information is correct.

I'm no authority either but I think your probably ok since there's no way to determine when and where it came from. You purchased it as a finished product so doubt I'd need to send you a cake with a hacksaw blade in it at the big house.

Great looking grips and they do look like the real McCoy.

I made a set for my Officer size Para Ordnance or we'd be negotiating.

Toughest stuff I ever worked with, the Hippo too had like a scale on the outside like the enamel on a tooth, cutting it on a bandsaw threw sparks. Super hard stuff.
Can't get it hot or it will crack some day.

Were I you I'd probably hang onto them and use them as an excuse to buy another officers model. Love the Iver Johnson too.

[BirdsThaWord]

Nice looking grips. I'm not going to pretend I know anything definitive about selling ivory, but as I did have a passing interest in a set of grips once, I can give you are starting point for research: https://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/ivory-ban-questions-and-answers.html
Very good read that is rather definitive in itself Greg! Thank you for the link/info & compliment. Feel now that I should have searched a bit harder before hitting you guys up with the question. Thanks again!

[BirdsThaWord]

It depends a lot on when they were made and what kind of animal the ivory came from. The one set I made was Hippo tooth and is still legal now if my information is correct.

I'm no authority either but I think your probably ok since there's no way to determine when and where it came from. You purchased it as a finished product so doubt I'd need to send you a cake with a hacksaw blade in it at the big house.

Great looking grips and they do look like the real McCoy.

I made a set for my Officer size Para Ordnance or we'd be negotiating.

Toughest stuff I ever worked with, the Hippo too had like a scale on the outside like the enamel on a tooth, cutting it on a bandsaw threw sparks. Super hard stuff.
Can't get it hot or it will crack some day.

Were I you I'd probably hang onto them and use them as an excuse to buy another officers model. Love the Iver Johnson too.

Thank you as well for your insight and compliment! Crazy to hear about that Hippo tooth! Reminds me of when I had rented a stump grinder from the orange big box store and think they purposely left the blades dull. I think that the blades were purposely left dull so it would be rented for more hours. My conclusion anyway. I sat at some puny stumps for hours with that thing and sparks were flying like crazy if I pushed the grinder in the least. I could really envision you sitting there grinding that hippo tooth.
Sounds like a very durable material, less the heat warning you gave.
Can you post a pic of the grips you made?
Wish I still had the pics of my first IJ Thrasher SS to share with you. Must have had a month and a half of free time into polishing every part on it like a jewel. It’s one of the one’s that got away.

[Bawanna]

Here's a shot of the hippo tooth before I started whittling. A member here sent it to me to make him a set and a set for myself and a set to donate. I wasn't able to pull off a third set, just didn't work out.

https://i.postimg.cc/Yq7XyPXn/Cbob.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

My set
https://i.postimg.cc/RVv7PFt8/DSCN7557.jpg (https://postimg.cc/8snfcTtB)

His set turned out near perfect and he had his scrimshawed. They looked great. I don't think I have a picture of his saved.

The only other ivory grips I have are on this ole break top I did some swapping for with my interim chief.

https://i.postimg.cc/C58WjygV/DSCN7596.jpg (https://postimg.cc/tnXSjMJr)

[BirdsThaWord]

Wow! Had no idea their teeth were so long!
Those grip look amazing! You do some amazing work. What are those half checkered grips on the DW? Looks like they were made from the upper, darker section of the tooth? Or is that something different?
I like the old top break. Gonna have to get one some day (amazed at how cheap some can be had for). When I see one I always think steampunk, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, etc. Classy looking designed pistols in my opinion!

[Bawanna]

The grips on the DW are something else, stabilized buckeye burl if I remember right. Like to have a big supply of that stabilized stuff. Cool stuff, really tough.

[BirdsThaWord]

The grips on the DW are something else, stabilized buckeye burl if I remember right. Like to have a big supply of that stabilized stuff. Cool stuff, really tough.
Sure makes for some beautiful grips! : )

[Bawanna]

Sad it's so bloody expensive. I've learned that not all stabilized wood is equal. Some ends up brittle and cracks easy.

Bought considerable from WSSI. Chatted with him a couple times and he said it's all in the mixture. Need to keep the elasticity.
Great stuff, resistant to everything, don't shrink or warp. He adds different colors to get some pretty cool looking stuff.

Wife got me some stuff to start stabilizing. Been putting it off, I'm kind of scared to be honest. Figure I'll get into it in a few months and hope I can figure it out and it works.

[BirdsThaWord]

I looked it up. Some amazing looking pieces of stabilized wood available out there. Who would have known? Such vivid colors and that process really seems to bring out the graining of the wood.
Something tells me you’ll be done stabilizing before I’m done with my polishing projects! Lol!