Kolinsky brush "shortage" in the US may be easing

[DixonGrfx]

Earlier in this thread I reported that I had bought some Raphael brushes.  I forgot to review them..  They are really excellent quality. Nice sharp point that keeps springing back into shape. Holds a good amount of paint.  Very happy with them.  Turns out I do like the 8404 better, but the difference is hardly noticeable.   

[Sakurafire]

I purchased some Raphael's, too, because of this thread. Very nice. I also have been using them (not the same brushes) for inking comics and illustrations.

 

Even if they weren't as "good" as my old W&N brushes, they were cheap enough that it doesn't matter.

[Egg of Coot]

 

 

 

I just checked with Curry's Art Store (the Canadian equivalent to Dick Blick), and they art still unable to get W&N Series 7s in.  Glad I stocked up when I was in SoCal . . .

 

Anyone else in Canada know of a source?

 

The Egg

Deserres.ca have WN7. It's the store where I buy nearly all my art stuff. Lots of Liquitex and Golden material.

 

 

Thanks.  The only problem with them is the pricing - W&N 7s are starting at $20 on the bottom end.  That's painful.

 

The Egg

 

Sadly, they're known to be expensive (the store, not just the brushes). Over in Quebec, we even pun their original name "Omer Desseres" to "Oh merde, c'est cher!", meaning "Oh crap, it's expensive!"

 

 

Funny.  That's almost exactly what I said when I saw the price . . .

 

The Egg

[Ted Kord]

Is there a shortage?  Obama passed a law banning the import of products with certain animal hair, sable being on of them.  I had to order my Kolinsky brushes from UK vendors on Amazon.

[Dontfear]

Is there a shortage?  Obama passed a law banning the import of products with certain animal hair, sable being on of them.  I had to order my Kolinsky brushes from UK vendors on Amazon.

 

I don't believe that is correct information.  As I understand it, it is a problem with CITES treaty compliance and the documentation of natural hair products and not a new legal hoop to jump through, just a new administrative issue. 

Edited April 29, 2015 by Dontfear

[cmorse]

 

Is there a shortage?  Obama passed a law banning the import of products with certain animal hair, sable being on of them.  I had to order my Kolinsky brushes from UK vendors on Amazon.

 

I don't believe that is correct information.  As I understand it, it is a problem with CITES treaty compliance and the documentation of natural hair products and not a new legal hoop to jump through, just a new administrative issue. 

 

 

This is correct. The way I understood it the biggest issue was confusion over what customs form to use for freight shipments, so companies stop sending large shipments of brushes until it was figured out. Shipments to individual customers never stopped.

[redambrosia]

Yes, they require paperwork to import them, they still have not been able to obtain that paperwork, because they are illegal.  They need to prove that the brushes are assembled in the same country the sable is harvested from, they are not.  So they are looking to see if there is a way around it. Or find a new country to buy their sable from that is not covered under that law and prove the sable in the brushes originated from that unprotected nation.  Second, Obama's law is believed to be intended for luxury items and they are trying to have that intention clarified and have the Wildlife Bureau identify paintbrushes differently.  You can argue semantics all you want but when they are seized by Customs and companies are told it is not legal to import them until they prove otherwise YES, WITH PAPERWORK, it is illegal. 

With regards to the "Obama passed a law", please cite your sources when making claims.

 

Quoted from http://arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com/2014/01/importing-kolinsky-sable.html

 

The following is from the US Fish & Wildlife service. It's a trade treaty, which takes an act of Congress to pass, not an executive order.

 

 

 

"Thank you for your inquiry regarding the importation of artist brushes manufactured with Siberian weasel hair that will require clearance by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Our mission is, working with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

 

Please be advised that kolinsky paint brushes are not categorically prohibited from importation.  However, the importation of paint brushes manufactured with kolinskyhair of Chinese origin has been problematic for the reasons described below.     

The Siberian weasel, Mustela sibirica, is listed under Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).  

CITES is an international agreement between governments.  Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.  The species covered by CITES are listed in three appendices according to the degree of protection they need.  Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction.  Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.  Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but for which trade must be controlled in order to avoid overutilizationthat may threaten them with extinction.  Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Party countries for assistance in controlling the trade in that species.  

 

Imports or exports of Siberian weasel products must be accompanied by appropriate CITES documents from the country of origin and any re-exporting country.  The first document authorizing initial export must be valid for any receiving country to issue valid permits for subsequent re-export to other CITES countries.

The Chinese CITES Management Authority has confirmed that CITES documents certifying the origin of certain Siberianweasel hair shipments exported to companies in Europe were not issued by the appropriate organization and are not valid for CITES purposes.  Countries receiving these shipments cannot issue valid CITES re-export certificates for artist brushes manufactured from Siberian weasel hair imported with an invalid CITES certificate, and these artist brushes cannot be lawfully imported into the United States.

We acknowledge that this situation is creating difficulties for you and other U.S. importers of Siberian weasel hair artist brushes.  As a CITES member nation, however, the United States must uphold the terms of the treaty.  We understand that the CITES Management Authority in China is working to ensure that shipments of Siberianweasel hair are accompanied by valid CITES documents in the future.  

 

 

We hope this information proves useful to you.  Please feel free to respond to this message with any further inquiries that you may have regarding this matter."  

 

[Willen]

Very interesting read, thanks redambrosia!

[ub3r_n3rd]

Very interesting read, thanks redambrosia!

 

This.