Additional Coverage:
- ‘Pawn Stars’ boss Rick Harrison comes across tortoise shell guitar, narrowly avoids legal trouble (marketrealist.com)
“Pawn Stars” Boss Rick Harrison Dodges Legal Bullet Over Tortoise Shell Guitar
Las Vegas, NV – Fans of the hit reality show “Pawn Stars” are accustomed to seeing a parade of peculiar artifacts, from ancient fossils to historical oddities. But a recent episode saw shop owner Rick Harrison facing a potential legal nightmare when a seemingly beautiful musical instrument rolled through his doors: a guitar crafted from a tortoise shell.
The item, brought in by a seller named Jon, immediately raised red flags. Jon himself admitted to Harrison, “I have this guitar here and I wasn’t sure whether or not I could legally sell it.”
Harrison, recognizing the distinctive material, was taken aback. “Where in the world did you get this?”
he inquired. Jon explained he’d purchased it from another pawn shop, only later realizing its potentially rare — and possibly illegal — nature.
Harrison, ever the history buff, explained the allure and subsequent ban of tortoise shell. “For centuries and centuries, people used tortoiseshell for everything,” he noted, highlighting its popularity for combs, sunglasses, and guitar picks due to its beauty and durability.
However, with some tortoise species becoming endangered, the trade was outlawed in the early 1970s. The critical question for Harrison was whether the guitar predated the ban.
To get a definitive answer, Harrison called in his trusted guitar expert, Jesse Amoroso. Upon seeing the instrument, Amoroso was visibly impressed, exclaiming, “Wow!
The sea turtle. Very cool.”
He elaborated that such guitars were popular post-World War II and the Korean War, often brought back by soldiers from the Pacific. “And I know they go for a premium.
They go for a lot of money,” Amoroso added, praising its craftsmanship and potential for a great bluegrass sound.
However, the admiration quickly turned to caution when discussing legality. “Honestly dude, I wouldn’t touch this with a 10-foot pole,” Amoroso warned Harrison. He recounted tales of individuals facing “10 months of house arrest and paid like 20 grand in fines for selling this stuff illegally.”
With the expert’s stark warning, the deal was swiftly taken off the table. Harrison, opting to avoid a hefty fine and potential house arrest, declined the purchase.
Jon, the seller, didn’t seem disappointed. “Hey, thank you.
I’m going to look at my options as to what I can and can’t do with it. I’ve got two girls, and I don’t want jail visits from them,” he concluded, shaking Harrison’s hand and heading out, leaving the “Pawn Stars” boss to breathe a sigh of relief.