I collect Victorian/Edwardian jewelry. Purchased a brooch from UK advertised consisting of silver, agate and pearl made circa 1890. The pearl (if that is what it is) was a flat panel not round. It was confiscated by GSP in Lichfield UK and ebay refunded my money and won't return to the seller. No recourse. I am very frustrated.
I bought seed pearl/gold/stone jewelry from UK before, no issues with their arrival.
In trying to figure out what went wrong (ebay wont tell me exactly but thought it may be pearl) so I don't get more items confiscated or run afoul of the international law. The items I buy are from 1910 or earlier. Some are marked with assay stamps, some are not. You can tell by the way they were made that they are antique.
I found references to CITES act. I can't decide if it applies. If the object was purchased before June 1947 and before that date has been "significantly altered by its natural raw state for jewelry, ornaments, art, utility or musical instrument" then it can be exempted. Do I have to ask the seller to document they owned the item
since 1947 (doubt many were alive then) or to have them provide a gemology report for the pearls (if that's possible even 100+years later) including species analysis with the purchase? Or do I and the seller have to apply for some kind of US CITES permit to even buy those items which are readily available from ebay UK / Australia for purchase in the US? It seems odd that the language in the act asks for proof of purchase rather than proof of manufacture.
I have already decided to never purchase anything from sellers using ebay global shipping service due to this confiscation policy. They should at least return the item back to the seller and not just take it.
Any input from international sellers or buyers would be appreciated. The items I purchase are not illegal to own, but the logistics from sale to arrival seem overly complicated and arbitrary lately.
