Endangered & Protected Species

Endangered Species Materials

The import and export of musical instruments containing materials from some endangered, protected or wildlife species are restricted by different government entities, but handled by Tarisio:

For our New York sales, this concerns mother-of-pearl, lizard skin and pernambco:

Item sells in New York and then stays in the USA: all clear!
Item sells in New York and then goes outside the USA:

• If it contains Mother of Pearl, a USFW declaration is needed (fees apply – $125 per item)
• If it contains lizard skin: these materials will be removed and can be replaced at the bidder’s expense.
• If it is a bow in pernambuco, it will require a US CITES re-export permit ($200 per item), a second USFW declaration, and a CITES import permit from the destination country. The re-export permit and USFW permits will be added to your invoice and may take up to 90 days to be approved. Please note that contemporary bows made after 2007 can be exported only if the maker is able to demonstrate that the wood used to make that bow was obtained from trees harvested prior to 2007.

For our Berlin sales, this concerns the protected Rosewood species, Dalbergia Nigra, lizard skin, tortoiseshell, ivory, whalebone and pernambuco:

Item sells in Berlin and stays in the EU: all clear!
Item sells in Berlin and is exported outside the EU: these materials will be removed and can be replaced at bidder’s expense if appropriate, or a CITES re-export permit (€105 + VAT) and Vorlagebescheinigung (fees vary, determined by value) can be applied for on bidder’s behalf

• Please note that contemporary bows made after 2007 can be exported only if the maker is able to demonstrate that the wood used to make that bow was obtained from trees harvested prior to 2007.

Protected Species Materials

Mother of Pearl

Items containing mother of pearl require a US Fish & Wildlife declaration in order to be shipped internationally.
The permit is compulsory and costs $125 per shipment, regardless of the number of pieces containing mother of pearl. The application is sent once full payment has been received and buyers should allow up to 10 business days for processing. We thank you for your patience during this step!

Non-Cattle Leather

Snake skin, lizard skin and other types of exotic non­-cattle leather used for bow grips are also prohibited from international shipment by USFW laws. T2 will remove these materials from bows before international shipment without further notice to the successful bidder.

Mammoth Ivory

As an extinct species, mammoth ivory is exempt from federal United State Fish & Wildlife regulation. It can be shipped and transported across international borders without declarations or fees.
Please email info@t2-auctions.com for more information.

For further advice on shipping endangered or protected species internationally, please contact info@t2-auctions.com.