Consistent with the protection of endangered species

The chairman and the board of IFICAH are fully aware of the problematic situation of presenting materials listed in the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Presentation, studies, and research are done at IFICAH on solely scientific grounds.  IFICAH does not own the objects and there is no connection to trade.

All activities with the objects are undertaken in accordance to the international rules and regulations to protect endangered species and have only scientific and cultural objectives. Part of our work at the foundation is to compile a future database consisting of microscopic shavings and photos of details of a wide variety of materials in their raw as well as processed state in order to allow optimal identification and  classification of the objects and the material they are made of.  This work is realized in close liaison with the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection, Construction and Safety of Reactors in Bonn. The chairman of IFICAH, being an authorized expert in the field of ivory, has received several material samples from the Ministry for our data base and for teaching purposes.

Did you know…

  • …that in Indonesia the word for the craft of sword-smith is female? The idea being that the smith gives birth to the blade and his forge is a place of birth.
  • …that in the art of Japanese lacquer the brush used to paint the finest lines is made from the hairs in a rat’s armpit? They are the least exposed hairs in the fur of a rat, their tips multiple times finer than sable hair.