Is Brazilian rosewood illegal?

As a result, most nations throughout the world declared it illegal to harvest, export or import any Brazilian rosewood (including products produced from Brazilian rosewood) harvested after 1992.

Is it legal to buy Brazilian rosewood?

Today, Brazilian rosewood can only be obtained and used for guitars (or anything, really) if it was harvested and exported prior to the CITES ban, or harvested from trees that have fallen naturally – and is accompanied with a certificate of provenance in both cases.

What type of rosewood is banned?

In 2013, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) listed all types of Madagascar rosewood as Appendix II, prohibiting their trade except in the rare cases in which a local CITES authority has issued sustainability permits.

Is all rosewood illegal?

The good news is that if you own an item made of rosewood, you should be able to travel with it without issue. But the bad news is that if you are selling any type of rosewood (either as lumber, or as a finished product), you can no longer (legally) ship it out of your country.

Are rosewood guitars illegal?

In January of 2017, the CITES convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, Switzerland passed a ban on the use of rosewood and Bubinga as tonewoods, making it more difficult to ship or travel with musical instruments made with any amount of these endangered ...

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Is rosewood still banned?

After a nearly two-year CITES ban on the movement of rosewood crossing international borders, unless accompanied by the relevant paperwork, it looks like the ban has finally been overturned.

What guitar wood is illegal?

An international crackdown on illegal logging in tropical forests has ensnared the makers of some guitars and other musical instruments, whose top-end products require small amounts of rosewood, a material prized for its rich, multicolored grain and resonant sound.

Why is rosewood restricted?

The restrictions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora — commonly referred to as CITES — went into effect in 2017, after strong demand for high-end rosewood furniture in China led to conservation worries and violence in areas that produce the wood.

Can rosewood be sold?

Selling Brazilian Rosewood

As can be seen in the article, most guitars made with Dalbergia Nigra can be sold, as long as they are sold with the correct documentation, where required. There are certain dates to take into account. – All instruments built before 3rd March 1947 are considered antique and are not affected.

Is rosewood illegal in UK?

As of November 26 2019, CITES laws on rosewood have been lifted. Travelling with this wood no longer requires a permit. It means you can buy, sell and move freely with guitars made of rosewood - even if it comprises over 10kg or 22lbs as stated by the previous ruling.

Can you import rosewood to the UK?

Popular antique and vintage products such as furniture made from rosewood, reptile skin accessories and tortoiseshell boxes will all need documentation from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in order to be legally transported between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Great Britain and the EU from 1 January ...

Is Brazilian rosewood expensive?

The prestige of Brazilian rosewood, an expensive material to begin with, rocketed once production was halted. Rarity, coupled with the cachet of authentic Danish modern designs (and the names attached to them), has made mid-century Brazilian rosewood furniture one of today's most coveted grails.

Does Gibson still use Brazilian rosewood?

Since 1991, Brazilian Rosewood has been listed as an endangered species and has therefore been used sparingly by guitar makers. However, there have been some small runs here and there of Gibson guitars that do have Brazilian fingerboards, particularly during 2001-2003.

Is rosewood illegal in Australia?

If you are importing rosewood harvested after the listing date (2 January 2017), you will require a CITES (re) export permit from the exporting country and an Australian CITES import permit. These are valid for 6 months and can be issued for a single use import or for multiple imports.

Why do Chinese want rosewood?

Rosewood has long been used to make musical instruments and furniture but, partly because of its association with the revered Ming dynasty (1368-1644), it has become a status symbol for China's growing, increasingly affluent middle class.

How can you tell if Brazilian rosewood is real?

Bring the container under the blacklight and observe the results: true Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) will not fluoresce or show any appreciable change of color under the blacklight, while most other rosewoods will glow a pale blue/green color.

Why is Brazilian rosewood endangered?

Brazilian rosewood is threatened by illegal logging and habitat loss.

Can you sell rosewood furniture in the UK?

Under CITES, trading in rosewood products made prior to 1947 is perfectly permissible.

Are rosewood fretboards banned?

Guitar manufacturers (and anyone) were banned from using it, unless they could prove it had been exported prior to the 1992 CITES treaty decision. Since that time, manufacturers have searched for alternatives, not only to Brazilian rosewood, but to rosewood in general.

Is all rosewood endangered?

Status as an endangered species

Rosewood is now protected worldwide.

What type of rosewood does Gibson use?

North American rosewood is also used by Gibson — it's a trustworthy source and sustainable. Madagascan and Amazonian Rosewood is also widely used. * Brazilian Rosewood is unusual these days, because of rarity and exorbitant cost.

How much is rosewood worth?

Rosewood fetches in excess of USD$17,000 per ton but Zambia is failing to benefit, here's why. Rosewood is popular in China for 'hongmu' – antique furniture. Rosewood is the generic name for several dark-red hardwood species found in tropical regions across the globe.

Does rosewood grow in the US?

The rosewood tree is considered tropical, growing best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 11, which includes areas that enjoy warm climates such as Hawaii. Despite its preference for tropical climes, the rosewood can tolerate temperatures down to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

When did they stop using Brazilian rosewood?

In 1967, the Brazilian government outlawed the export of Brazilian rosewood logs and in 1992 the newly formed CITES convention declared Brazilian rosewood a threatened species.