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
53-1/2 tons was Central African; 26 tons Angola; 4-1/2 tons Congo;
2-1/2 tons Swift-Congo; 4 tons Abyssinian; 1 ton Senegal; 1/2 ton Hard Egyptian, and 1/2 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 moderately. 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 according 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
manufactured." This limitation was changed in 1895 to "animal ivory,
sawed or cut into logs, but not otherwise manufactured," 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, Sihersmiih and Optician, June 1,1912.
fBureau of Statistics (Dept. of Commerce and Labour; before 1903, Treasury Dept.) Annual Exports on the foreign commerce of the United States.
