A London court slapped Christie’s Auction House with a total of £3455 on Monday for auctioning an elephant tusk on its website. Christie’s pleaded guilty to the charges.

A raw ivory ornament designed in 1880 was included in the auction house’s for sale items. It is worth between £1,200 and £1,800, according to experts. The ivory ornament is owned by Barry Collins, a silver dealer.

Collins’ legal representative Michael Levy told the court that he only asked Christie’s for the value of his item on April 28 last year and did not offer it for auction. The ivory was then returned to Collins when no one bought it. The dealer said that he got it from his mother’s house when she died.

Christie’s was fined £3,250 for sale of the ivory without the appropriate paperwork, which has been more strict in recent years. The auction house also paid £120 for surcharge and another £85 to cover costs.

Christie’s expressed its regret with the incident. A spokesperson emphasized that it was an honest mistake and that the auction house condemns elephant slaughter.

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