World-famous auction house Christie’s has been fined for putting an elephant tusk up for sale.

The auction house advertised the ivory tusk, which was mounted on silver, on its website with a guide price of £1,200 to £1,800.

Christie’s, based in Brompton Road in South Kensington, admitted it did not have the proper paperwork to sell the item and was fined £3,250 at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court.

According to the Telegraph, a lawyer for the international auction house told the court it was an “honest, genuine mistake”.

PC Rowena Roberts, wildlife officer for Kensington and Chelsea, said: “Anyone who owns antique ivory should be aware that it cannot be legally sold without an Article 10 certificate which can be obtained via the Animal and Plants Health Agency.

“The tusk in this case was mounted on silver but was basically a raw, unmodified elephant tusk and therefore should not have been offered for sale without the correct documentation.

“These laws were established to protect the worlds remaining elephants.”

Asian elephants are officially classed as endangered while African elephants are listed as vulnerable.