Travel Documents
Wilder & Davis is happy to provide any musician or ensemble who requests it with a document listing all the natural materials found in their instrument and bow.
Request a DocumentCITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an agreement that aims to ensure the international trade of wild animal and plant species does not threaten their conservation. As such, even though it's legal to trade certain wild species, many others require a permit to cross the border. More than 5,000 species of animals, subspecies, and their populations, and more than 29,000 species of plants, subspecies, and their populations, are listed under CITES.
Documentation of Natural Materials Found in Instruments and Bows
Ivory, tortoiseshell, whalebone, mother-of-pearl, rosewood, and pernambuco, which are used in the making of bows and instruments, are on the lists of targeted species. While musicians generally cross borders without issue, given the age of their instrument and bow and the minimal quantity involved, we recommend traveling with a "material identification" document listing all the natural materials found in their instrument and bow, including the species (scientific names) and their CITES status, where applicable. Such a document demonstrates the musician's good faith and speeds up the work of customs officers enforcing CITES regulations. With reasonable advance notice, Wilder & Davis is happy to provide this document to any musician or ensemble who requests it before their trip.
Request Before Traveling