Horror: Officials strip off antique piano keys, claiming ivory
mainAn English immigrant to New Zealand has seen his 123 year-old piano vandalised by customs officials in search of illegal ivory.
University of Auckland professor Julian Paton, had the key tops of his piano removed by the Department of Conservation.
‘We were diligent,’ said Paton. ‘We went out of our way to make sure we could legally import the piano to New Zealand. We absolutely deny any wrongdoing whatsoever.’
Read on here.
Name the best-known New Zealand movie? Yes, it’s The Piano.
Justice served! Now if we could only find those that poached it…
OK, that’s absurd. The CITES regulations aren’t supposed to apply to ivory that predates the rules. Even if this fellow didn’t follow the rules to the letter. I’d expect more common sense from New Zealand.
“The Piano” may be the best-known NZ movie, but I’d say “Fierce Creatures” is the best (the “Lord of the Rings” films don’t count).
““The Piano” may be the best-known NZ movie, but I’d say “Fierce Creatures” is the best ”
I vote for An Angel at my Table.
Or Meet the Feebles 😉
The linked article says that the 123-year old piano “was made in 1985.” Surely they meant 1895?
My high-school English teacher used to mutter about “the tyranny of the petty official.” This is a clear example of why idiots shouldn’t be allowed to have jobs enforcing laws, regulations, or … well, let’s just stop at “idiots shouldn’t have jobs.”
Exhibit A on bureaucratic stupidity and incompetence.
Many piano tuners have collected ivory keys from old pianos, so they should be replaceable; if they locate an old upright, they could transfer them. But he should definitely sue them!
Now the piano owner knows how the elephant felt. The piano owner and those who support him here can pull their own teeth to replace the ivory. There no law against using human teeth, so it’s all legal.
“Now the piano owner knows how the elephant felt. The piano owner and those who support him here can pull their own teeth to replace the ivory.”
Kind of harsh, but you’re right.
(And now in a completely unrelated matter: Nobody touches my piano.)
Petty officials with nothing better to do with their time….a story told of old. Why remove the ivory from this ancient (and possibly valuable) instrument. Would/should they do the same with an 18th century harpsichord? The contemporary ban on the use of ivory is of course essential but retrospectively removing keys from these instruments serves no purpose.
Except a moral purpose. Otherwise, retrospective restitution of cadavers to native tribes serve no purpose either, they, like the elephants, are already dead. Elephants mourn their dead.
O tempora o mores!
The ivory ban is necessary. It is unreasonable to expect customs officials to evaluate the age of ivory. What is reasonable is to expect customs officials to confiscate items that are not accompanied by correct paperwork. Had Professor Paton taken one minute to Google the rules governing importing ivory, he would have been able to protect his instrument.