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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to have a piano with ivory keys

25 replies

brizzledrizzle · 02/12/2018 13:59

We have inherited a piano which is about 120 years old but contains ivory. I am glad to have it as I like playing and didn't have a piano before.

I'm against the ivory trade but I see it as something that was made when the ivory trade was more acceptable and getting rid of it isn't going to bring the animal back to life. Am I being unethical?

I say not because it's not a new product that is using ivory now but a vegan friend says it should be scrapped and doesn't want to visit because I've got this piano in my house. (I also have a leather sofa but that doesn't seem to bother her)

OP posts:

LostInShoebiz · 02/12/2018 14:02

How would it help the elephants if you scrap it? I’d keep it and if she doesn’t like it she doesn’t have to touch it.

Original poster

brizzledrizzle · 02/12/2018 14:04

That's my view, yes. It's not going to help elephants in the slightest.

OP posts:

ElideLochan · 02/12/2018 14:04

tell her you have had them replaced with replica keys... cost you loads and added to the plastics problem we have in the world

redsummershoes · 02/12/2018 14:04

keep it.
a) it's historical
b) it might not be ivory from tusks. bone was/is also used to make the veneer on piano/organ keys.

Alaaya · 02/12/2018 14:05

She's being mad. All antique pianos will have ivory keys. Does she want them all scrapped?

PinkHeart5914 · 02/12/2018 14:06

I’d keep it.

How daft to scrap it the poor animal really did suffer for fuck all then, if it’s just sent to scrap! It’s a 120 years old times were different then it’s not like you inflicted pain on the animal yesterday

HildaZelda · 02/12/2018 14:08

I'd keep it and get rid of the friend.
It sounds like you'd get more enjoyment out of the piano.

Original poster

brizzledrizzle · 02/12/2018 14:10

It sounds like you'd get more enjoyment out of the piano.

She does drain the joy out of things a bit, yes.

OP posts:

MamaLovesMango · 02/12/2018 14:11

Your friend needs to get a grip to be honest. Their Veganism is their choice and nothing to do with you and your choices. Apart from that, scrapping a 120 year old piano won’t do anything to help the plight of present day elephants and rhinos. She should steer her high horse towards actually making a difference to endangered species instead of guilt tripping her ‘friends’

JassyRadlett · 02/12/2018 14:11

Throwing away historical ivory that doesn’t fuel the current trade (as you are clearly not planning to sell the piano) with plastic? What a waste of resources.

LinoleumBlownapart · 02/12/2018 14:13

Does she think that by scrapping it will be magically ethical and OK. What is she 6? Is she always this hard of thinking or does logic only go out of the window when it involves animals?

Maelstrop · 02/12/2018 14:16

Is she quite mad? Should all Steinways also be scrapped? Given their history, one imagines the older ones all have ivory keys.

BaldricksTrousers · 02/12/2018 14:17

I have inherited fur and although I hate the fur trade and would never buy new, I'm not going to get rid of it.

BehemothPullsThePeasantsPlough · 02/12/2018 14:18

The carbon footprint of a brand new replacement piano manufactured from scratch and transported to your door would be huge. Animals (and people) all over the world are in terrible danger if we don’t restrain our carbon emissions.

Original poster

brizzledrizzle · 02/12/2018 14:22

Is she always this hard of thinking or does logic only go out of the window when it involves animals?

Her view is that I'm as good as supporting the illegal ivory trade by having the piano. I didn't buy it so I'm clearly not. I'm so tempted to show her this thread but I think she'd spontaneously combust

OP posts:

Chocolala · 02/12/2018 14:22

Your friend is an idiot. Most sensible hi g to do is keep the piano and use is until the keys wear out. Better for the environment overall, and the poor animal didn’t then die totally in vain.

Use it as a learning tool for children, and a reason not to bash the keys but instead o make beautiful music on them as a sign of respect.

Rattinghat · 02/12/2018 14:26

It's probably got wood in it chopped down from a rainforest. And strings made from the tails of maltreated horses. Tell her that and watch her explode.

Chouetted · 02/12/2018 14:27

The elephant is long since dead, the people who sold the ivory are dead, the people who made the piano are dead - enjoy your piano and treat it with respect. It is a reminder of how far we have come.

Think about all those buildings erected with the profits of slave labour. Surely, by her logic, we should tear those down as well?

Original poster

brizzledrizzle · 02/12/2018 14:27

make beautiful music on them as a sign of respect.

I can tell you haven't heard me play it!

And strings made from the tails of maltreated horses. Tell her that and watch her explode.

Maybe I should tell her that about her guitar.

OP posts:

Aeroflotgirl · 02/12/2018 14:34

Yanbu at all, she sounds crazy. She should not impose her choices on you,it's her decision not to come. How will it help the ivory trade to scrap a 120 year old piano. Recent ivory trade should be banned, not throwing away antiques.

ComtesseDeSpair · 02/12/2018 14:47

There’s a certain level of logic in the argument that antique ivory / bone / fur / hardwood etc - fuels demand for modern equivalents because people see how beautiful they are and demand for new versions increases. But that’s less the case here and I don’t agree with your friend that you’re unreasosnahle to keep your piano, especially since you’ve reconciled how you feel about it in your head and are happy with your conclusion.

Ultimately it’s up to her whether she refuses to visit it because you have it and I think it’s uncharitable for people to deride her for it - I’ve seen plenty of threads where MNers claim they won’t visit a friend or family member because they don’t like their values about an issue, or something they have in the house, even if it’s a relatively subjective area.

AmericanEskimoDoge · 02/12/2018 14:47

Another vote for keeping the piano and getting rid of the friend, if she can't get over it.

If she wouldn't keep the piano, that's fine, but it's ridiculous for her to expect to dictate how you should live (especially over something as stupid as this). It's not as though she's trying to convince you not to go on some illegal safari next month. If any animals were harmed in making that piano, it's ancient history, at this point.

musicposy · 02/12/2018 15:06

We have a piano with ivory keys; it's over 100 years old. DD, who is vegetarian and very into ethics, plays on it quite happily. She quite rightly says that getting rid of it and buying a new piano would do nothing to bring back the elephant and would further damage the environment by buying a new product which requires a hefty amount of plastic. Reuse and recycle is the way to go. Your friend is hard of thinking; keep the piano.

AnotherPidgey · 02/12/2018 15:07

The environmental impacts of creating the piano are long since done with. Absolutely no point in adding to landfill and the environmental costs of creating a new one. Better to keep it and use it to the end of its useful days.

Isn't there an exemption on trading antique ivory for that reason although proving it's sufficiently old enough can be problematic.

My family has a fox fur probably from the 1920s. It's existance has no direct impact on the fur trade today. (Tucked away in an attic)

sparkli · 02/12/2018 15:16

My great grandparents lived in Kenya in the 40s and and we have quite a few ivory ornaments in our family, which they brought home with them. The law states anything from before 1947 is allowed to be traded in this country so I don't feel bad about displaying the ornaments I have inherited.

I also have a pre 1947 piano with ivory keys and wouldn't get rid of it for anyone!

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