Is this ivory or bone?
a-VOR-io — three syllables; stress on the second. 'Avorio' ends with the diphthong 'io' — two sounds in one syllable.
Use this when examining items that appear to be carved from ivory or bone. This is an important distinction — antique ivory requires CITES documentation for international trade.
'Avorio' (ivory) vs 'osso' (bone) is a critical legal question. Elephant ivory is subject to CITES international trade controls. Pre-1947 antique ivory may be tradeable with documentation. Bone (often used to imitate ivory in 19th-century items) has no such restrictions. Tests include the hot needle test and UV fluorescence.
Ha la documentazione CITES per questo avorio?
Do you have CITES documentation for this ivory?
CITES permits are required for commercial trade in ivory internationally
È avorio sintetico?
Is it synthetic ivory?
Modern 'ivory' pieces may be resin or ivorine — legal but lower value
Questo materiale bianco cos'è esattamente?
What exactly is this white material?
Open question when you're not sure — lets the seller explain
The international trade in elephant ivory has been strictly regulated since the 1989 CITES ban. In Italy, antique ivory pieces (pre-1947) require documentation proving their age and legal provenance. Many Italian antique dealers have stopped trading in ivory altogether due to the legal complexity, which ironically drives some buyers to less scrupulous sellers.