THE COMMERCE OF IVORY 447 



At the quarterly sale in Antwerp in May, 1913, ivory 

 weighing 92 tons was disposed of, as against 87 tons at 

 the same time in 1912. Of this total 53j tons was Central 

 African; 26 tons Angola; 4 J tons Congo; 2§ tons Swift- 

 Congo; 4 tons Abyssinian; 1 ton Senegal; J ton Hard 

 Egyptian, and J ton Soft Egyptian. Good prices were 

 realized as there was considerable competition, the demand 

 from America and the Continent being quite active, the 

 London and Sheffield trades, however, only bought mod- 

 erately. The increase in price amounted to £2 per cwt. 

 for large and medium hard teeth; scrivelloes (tusks under 

 20 pounds) registered an advance of £2 or £3 per 

 cwt.* 



The total imports of ivory into the United States ac- 

 cording to official figures are here given for the years 1884 

 to 1911 inclusive, as well as the value of these imports and 

 the average value per pound. From 1884 to 1894 this 

 covers '*animal ivory, not sawed, cut, or otherwise manu- 

 factured." This limitation was changed in 1895 to "ani- 

 mal ivory, sawed or cut into logs, but not otherwise manu- 

 factured," and still further modified in 1898 to "ivory in its 

 natural state: tusks cut vertically across the grain only, 

 with the bark left intact, "f The advances noted above 

 amount to from about 8 cents to 13 cents above the prices 

 previously obtained. Of course, the New York prices have 

 been mainly based upon those of the London and Antwerp 

 markets, no duty having been imposed on unmanufactured 

 ivory until October 4, 1913. Immediately after that date 

 imports decreased notably, but would have risen again to 

 the normal level if the great war had not ensued nine 

 months later. 



*The Watchmaker, Jeweler, Siiversmiih and Optician, June 1, 1912. 



fBureau of Statistics (DepL of Commerce and Labour; before 1903, Treasury Dept.) 

 Annual Reports on the foreign commerce of the United States. 



