Packing and shipping becoming more difficult

[werecow]

So I wanted to bid on a sword listed on a well known French auction site, and the shipping company I've shipped with just last year informed me that they will no longer collect and ship antique swords and other arms because "most carriers refuse to take charge of weapons".
That's disconcerting. If even a company dedicated to shipping can't or won't come up with a reliable carrier, are we in Europe now confined to collecting only lots that we can pick up ourselves? Or are there still reliable companies that will pick up, pack and ship antique arms?