Ivory Markets of Europe by Esmond Martin and Daniel Stiles. Published by Care for the Wild International and Save the Elephants. 2005. 104pp. Unpriced
Reviewed by Robin Sharp CB

Martin and Stiles have now completed their fourth and final study in the ivory markets series, previous volumes having covered Africa, East Asia and South and South East Asia. These have been the very opposite of desk studies. For each the two authors have divided between them and then attempted to visit personally all the main ivory markets, shops, factories and carving centres in the various regions, interviewing willing and less willing operators, counting the objects and ascertaining their weight and value. Truly they are blessed with insatiable curiosity and deserve congratulations for filling so many gaps, the aim being to contribute to baseline information about trade to link to data on elephant numbers and mortality.

This latest piece of work actually covers the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain on the basis that these are the main economies and represent the countries from which most current buyers come according to anecdotal reports from sellers in African and Asia. Most also have ancient and more recent histories of ivory trade and carving. In that connection Martin and Stiles present a fascinating account of ivory carving in small historic German towns such as Michelstadt, Erbach and Altötting, still continuing in some, and the Parisian 'Aux Tortues' which was thought to be the largest ivory shop in the world from the 19th century until recently. The mass of information in the text is enlivened by some attractive line drawings as well as excellent photos of shops, carvers, museums and products.

As to the current situation there are few real surprises. New to most will be the information gleaned about stocks of raw ivory imported before the 1990 CITES international trade ban on African elephant ivory and the dwindling band of folk who still carry on the highly skilled work of ivory carving. The authors noted over 27,000 ivory items for sale in 1,143 shops. The UK had most items, reflecting the colonial past and the buoyancy of its antique markets, with Germany second. The great majority of the worked ivory for sale was either made before 1989 or, if made later, from raw ivory imported before the ban. i.e it was legal even if lacking the right paperwork.

Small amounts of ivory are currently smuggled into European countries, according to seizure information which shows a decline since the early 90s for France and the UK but stability elsewhere. Only France and Germany have significant stockpiles of raw ivory, educated guesstimates putting the figure at 50 and over 20 tonnes respectively. With around 50 ivory artisans in France and 8-10 in Germany, the latter's stocks would last for 60 years at the present rate of use. Prices for raw ivory range from US$92 to US$244 according to tusk size, rather lower than in Asia. Mammoth ivory is used as a substitute in Germany and France.

More significant for conservation and sustainable use assessment is the conclusion of vendors that neither the 1999 auctions of Southern African ivory following CITES CoP decisions in 1997, nor the 2002 decisions in principle to permit further sales, had or would have any market effect. Vendors expected the demand to continue to decline, although the antique trade would continue. The authors conclude as follows: 'many animal welfare organisations argue that the sale of this [i.e. old legal ivory] is indirectly detrimental to elephants as ivory market activity of any kind encourages poaching. Whether this view is correct in all circumstances remains to be demonstrated.' Perhaps it should be recalled that the authors' previous studies threw light on the very widespread nature of the current illegal trade in ivory from illegally killed African and Asian elephants from countries which claim to support the CITES trade ban but in practice flout it. It remains a mystery why the animal welfare organisations mentioned do not focus their concern in that area instead of for ever trying to tighten the screw on those who take the legal path.

Robin Sharp CB is Editor of Sustainable: robinsharpcb.freeserve.co.uk

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