We traveled to Papua New Guinea 40 years ago. We have carved walking sticks and *watchers*, which are wicker shield-shaped wall pieces featuring faces made from turtle shells and human hair (likely that of the artisan) with shell eyes. They were made to guard homes from vengeful ghosts.
Visited Tonga where, back then, huge 12’x20’ tapas, including wedding tapas (very soft and thick), were available in the marketplace for $10US. These have been on display in our home since then, seen by many, many people.
It is difficult today to find similar items of the same quality. In New Zealand, today, the tapas are being “re-collected” by Maoris and are in demand for commercial bar/restaurant decor.
We also have carved ivory tourist pieces from China, purchased in Fiji. The identical pieces were offered years ago on eBay for $1500-$3k. Today, they are always labeled *bone*, even dating from the 1970s and the prices are very low.
The Oceanic stuff is also difficult to sell directly, although some galleries handle them.
Who kept bills of sale from back then? There were no bills of sale at the native villages on the Sepik. My husband dealt directly with the men in the “men’s hut”. There was only a “number one price”.
We are getting ready to downsize and I may just pack them all up when we move and not display them again.
I wouldn't display the ivory pieces. I have a Chinese tea set in a wicker box holder that I bought in mainland China. Have various pieces I won't describe, from Hong Kong. They make gold pieces right there in shops. I always declared everything I had bought when I got to the states. I kept the sales slips for that accounting, but of course I don't have them now.
One time I told the US customs guy as soon as I was in front of him that I had overbought so would have to pay duty and here were all my sales slips. He crossed off books and antiques, said they weren't counted for duty and I didn't have to pay any duty. I was an open book with customs people. People who would try to sneak something in, are very likely to get caught and I wasn't going to be one of them.
Going into England one time, I got a cranky guy who wanted to know what was in the rolling bag I had. He pissed me off to question I might have something illegal in there. Told him, “CANNED MEXICAN FOOD”. My son lived there and naturally as a Texan, he got no Texas type Mexican food so I always carried him some - nothing fresh, all canned and that is legal. So, cranky guy went through my canned Mexican food. When you go into England, you have to put down where you are staying and when you are leaving. They know exactly where you are when you are there and you better not be there after the date you say you are leaving.
A better course is a ceontrolled program on ebay to sell your stuff.
Ebay is helping us downsize a cby sellin the stuff no longer needed and unwanted by the kids. Take it easy, study Eby..... it’s pretty easy, relax and enjoy the selling
PS... Thai temple rubbings are a dime a dozen