Vintage Japanese Ivory Dangle Earrings

These beautiful earrings were handcrafted in Japan, according to the original card they still dangle from.  They are sadly made from the ivory of an elephant's tusk and feature silvertone ear wires with yellow coloring and attached silvertone (possibly sterling) "stamen" in the center of each earring.  I have no idea how old these earrings are, but they appear to be tourist jewelry from the 1940s through 1970s.  I could not find another similar item online. 

I would like my readers to know that I do not condone the use of ivory to make jewelry, or any other item for that matter.  It is even illegal to sell ivory on Ebay.  Although it is illegal to import ivory into the United States, it is legal to sell "antique" ivory here, as long as it is proven to be over 100 years old.  For more information on this subject, please visit http://www.humanesociety.org/

This piece is not for sale.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on http://www.rubylane.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

Green Answers. Retrieved 4/23/2011 from http://greenanswers.com/q/42147/products-shopping/it-legal-buy-and-sell-ivory-united-states

The Humane Society. Retrieved 4/23/2011 from http://www.humanesociety.org/search/search.jsp?query=ivory