Third Place
Brent Stirton
Getty Images
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"GOD'S IVORY"
VALENZULEA, PHILIPPINES, 25 JANUARY 2012: Master carver Marcial Bernales carves an Ivory Head and Hand set for a Catholic religious icon in his worshop in Valenzulea, close to Manila, Philippines. Bernales has been carving Ivory for 45 years and has made hundreds of pieces, all of which are of a religious nature depicting the Catholic faith in the Philippines. His work is in the collections of many devotees and his ivory pieces are in great demand amongst the wealthy collectors of the Philippines and abroad. His workshop and workload are co-run by his wife who also runs their shop in Manila. They claim to use only pre-ban ivory but that is questionable given the demand and the fact that the Philippines has never been the recipient of any post-ban CITES sanctioned Ivory sale. Both Bernales and his wife spoke to the journalist on how to smuggle ivory successfully in and out of the Philippines.
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