Where to buy swords in Guwahati city of India?

[Sancar]

Hello,

My family members will travel to Guwahati city, largest city of Assam state of northeast India. They want to bring back a tulwar; ideally an antique, if not, a high quality reproduction. I searched the internet but did not come up with much information. I'd appreciate any information about where to shop for antiques and reproduction arms and armour in the city.

Thank you all in advance.

[Edward F]

I would go to local shops and ask around ,start with your driver he my be able to help.if your lucky to find a real antique sword your first problem will be they will want 5 times what its worth,2nd problem very hard to get out of country selling antique arms and stone artifacts is not legal in india .if you do buy one don't try to get it on plane in luggage your best bet is try to mail to yourself with other items.
Good luck

[Sancar]

Thank you

[Sancar]

An additional question for Edward or anyone who wants to answer: So, as I understand, buying antiques is problematic; how about reproductions? Is it possible to find well-made reproductions in the marketplaces of Guwahati, and would it create a problem at the Indian customs in the airport, leaving the country?

[Edward F]

You can find reproduction swords and axes ,daggers,but they will try and sell them as original weapons


all the best

[silberschatzimsee]

Originally Posted by Sancar

and would it create a problem at the Indian customs in the airport, leaving the country?

I think everything considered antique is banned from taken out of india. Falls under looting of cultural heritage. I think most of the countries have implemented this rules.
(its a good rule imho)

that ´mailing it yourself´advice is sketchy and i would never do it.
But i understand it

[Jens Nordlunde]

Sancar, I agree a lot with what others have written, and I think you could put some of your family members in a very bad situation.
One thing is to ubstruct the law for an Indian, but being from somewhere else - it is no joke.
If you want a tulwar buy it from somewhere else than India.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Sancar, I agree a lot with what others have written, and I think you could put some of your family members in a very bad situation.
One thing is to ubstruct the law for an Indian, but being from somewhere else - it is no joke.
If you want a tulwar buy it from somewhere else than India.

yes this is sensible advice , for one thing it will be cheaper than in India and if you buy it from a member of this group it will be authentic.

[NavdeepBal]

You can find Antiques and good quality reproduction Tulwars in either Punjab or Rajsthan, don’t really think you will find anything in Assam. In India antiques are typically very cheap, but most will be fake or highly tampered with. I bought antiques from India before, both got them shipped and even put them in my luggage and they have never been stopped by customs, but this might be because I’m Sikh and the customs allow Antiques to be shipped out of India as ceremonial or religious objects.

[Sancar]

Thank you gentleman for all your answers. Gathering from your answers, I feel that chances of me getting a nice authentic tulwar from this travel is quite low; so I decided to alter my original question:

Is it possible to find a nice newly made(since taking antiques out of the country is illegal) Kachin Dao in Guwahati city? Where would be the ideal place to buy such blade in that area? I assume finding a Naga Dao, or Kachin Dao will be easier in the region than finding a replica talwar; am I wrong?

[BANDOOK]

Hi Sancar,its illegal to buy edged weapons more than a certain length as per Indian law anywhere in India,also difficult to even take them out of India even if its a replica
In Assam, Guwahati is one of the big citys in north east of india.Am sure you will find a good variety of weapons from Assam,Nagaland,Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and the odd Nepalese weapons which are made in Benares,Uttar Pradesh state,Please inquire with the locals for the Antique shops and that's the best place to find things you are wanting.Rajasthan is the heart of reproductions of Indo-Persian weapons ,made so well that they end up in top auction houses in Europe and USA,as other members have suggested its best to buy a Tulwar outside India which would be cheaper and more authentic
Best Regards,
Rajesh

[Sancar]

Thank you Rajesh.