Animal Antiques?

Question

What do you think about animally produced antiques?

i.e. piano's, ivory keys, old furs, bone handled items.

I have two furs, one 1920 and one 1890. Bone handled silver, ivory carvings, none of them made after 1920.

I am not veggie or vegan, but i have great respect for animals and no not eat factory prepared or cruel meat.

What do some of you think about such items? I lovI would never buy a new fur, or anything containing ivory etc.

Since it's already done, I feel it a little pointless to throw them away, they are so old and I feel important parts of my heratige, they've always been in the family and I don't see why I should throw them away.

What started this was SIL, saying I have a house full of torture glorifying horrors, but she is a bit of a nutter on the animal rights front, i.e it's cruel to my pet dog because she's not in the wild.

I know i ramble..... but I just wanted to see what other people thought about things like this. Would you/do you own any animal antiques

Answer 1

I have some old furs I inherited from my grandmother and aunt. They are older than I am, but still lovely. Since I eat meat, my point of view will doubtless vary from those who do not for reasons of not wanting to exploit animals.

I figure these creatures have been gone a long time; why not enjoy the furs? Of course, I wear leather shoes and belts and purses, and don't see any difference between these and furs. After all, the dead animal doesn't care whether you've eaten his meat, or wear him as fur or leather, does he? He's just as dead whichever it is.

As for the old ivory, etc., it's all the same. HOWEVER, I wouldn't buy any new ivory products, or those made from other endangered animal parts. In my mind, that is bad because those animals are protected and in danger of becoming extinct. I also wouldn't wear the fur of big cats, because they are endangered, too...even if the coats were old...and as a cat lover, I'm somehow bothered by cat furs more than those made from weasels and such. Maybe it doesn't make sense. Whatever. BUT...that's just my own morality system, and others will feel differently, I'm very sure.

I'd enjoy the piano and coats. As you say, they are all ready dead, and part of your family heritage.

Answer 2

i agree with you so long as you're not buying more of it.  i have an old fur that was my great-grandmother's.....i'm not going to throw that away because of my diet when i'm the fourth woman in my family to own it.  however, i don't wear it (in fact, i don't even take it out of the storage bin it's in) i'm definitely not going to go buy a vintage fur because "the damage is already done".  i think if it has sentimental value, keep it.....otherwise do what you want with it.

Answer 3

It does not make sense to throw away your family heritage just becaue they are related to animals.  

I am a vegetarian and I will not throw away any of such materials. For me, It is good enough if I do not buy/use such things in future.

Your friend's reasonsing seems stupid to me. A pet dog cannot survive in the wild because it is not trained for that kind of life. LOL

Answer 4

I agree with you.

I have some carved ivory & bone handled items from my great grandparents time, and do think of the fate of the animals and the cruelty of their taking, whenever I look at them.

I wouldn't buy them, or anything else that creates a market for cruelly obtained raw materials, but can't see the point in throwing these things away after all this time either.