The art and antiques trade has criticised a report on the ivory market, arguing it “fails to distinguish between genuine works of art and the trade in modern carvings made from tusks”, writes Laura Chesters.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a not-for-profit campaign group founded by three environmental activists, issued a report last week revealing the UK is the world’s largest supplier of legal ivory to China and Hong Kong.
Mark Dodgson, secretary general at the British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA), said: “This report fails to draw a distinction between large uncarved tusks exported from other EU countries – not the UK – and small carvings and objects inlaid with ivory.