I'm known around these parts to be an ivory fan when it comes to my pool cues.
Consequently, I have followed the ivory laws pretty closely, especially in CA.
Anyone selling something that contains ivory when they are in CA is just stupid.
The CA law is crystal clear...possession of a cue or an artifact containing ivory is legal.
However, any attempt to sell a cue with ivory or acquire another cue with ivory is illegal.
You cannot advertise such cues for sale or trade and you cannot repair a cue using ivory.
My small collection of cues is protected and are grandfathered which is just another reason
I had Bob & Jerry include their signatures & dates on the four custom cues they made for me,
The CA ivory ban took effect 7/1/2016 and if you mess with the law, you deserve the shitstorm
you will experience when you get caught. Obey the law or just legally circumvent it but do not
ignore it or think that violations aren't taken seriously or it will become enormously expensive.
I know there will be aberrant minded individuals that will babble about confiscating your cues
and rant about that the gov't will have to pry the cues from their dead hands if they want to
try confiscating it. Those are the same clowns that will distort the reality of sensible gun control
measures and preach about their constitutional right to bear arms.
Here is a link to follow the ivory ban and how it affects you based upon where you reside.
http://www.aaps-journal.org/fossil-ivory-legislation.html
The following states have already adopted ivory bans and if you get caught trying to buy or
sell a pool cue that contains ivory, even just advertising the cue for sale, you are going to
get clobbered and deserve all the crap that happens. Just obey the law or campaign to have
it changed or initiate efforts from having similar laws enacted in your own state of residence.
But griping about the law is not enough and doing nothing when you learn your state is even
considering enacting similar measures is the underlying reason state ivory bans get enacted.
States That Prohibit (Ban) the Sale or Purchase of Ivory:
California Effective July 1, 2016
Hawaii Effective January 1, 2017
New Jersey June 2014
New York August 2014
Washington State - Only Living Elephant Ivory
The following states have proposed legislation in process:
Arizona - (Failed in Committee)
Arkansas
Colorado - (Failed in Committee),
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Illinois
Iowa
Maryland,
Massachusetts
Michigan
Nevada
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia - (Stricken in Courts of Justice).
The following states are considering ivory legislation:
Idaho & Maine.
The Feds deal exclusively with Interstate Commerce & International (export & import) sales
of items containing ivory and they are not going to confiscate your cues because you own
them. However, change of ownership is an entirely different proposition and if you get caught,
you have earned the shitstorm you will experience. Fish & Wildlife is the agency that you need
to be concerned about with Intratstate purchases and sales of cues containing ivory.
Before you trash my post, keep in mind I am a big gun owner , have had my CCW for the past
26 years and my cues are adorned with ivory. IMO, the best cue joint is a big pin flat ivory joint
and as far as ferrules go, ivory ferrules rock. You can substitute Juma or anything else for the
cue's rings or inlays, etc, and the cue would still look dandy and play great too. But when it
comes to the ferrules and cue joint, a pachyderm's tusks is still the best material to use.....IMO.
Matt B.
