Best place to buy swords?

Matt Easton · 11th April 2007, 03:00 PM

I live in London, so it's maybe hard for me to be objective. But I was surprised that London came up so favourably. And then I thought about it - yes there is a LOT of stuff here. But not nearly as much as there was 15 years ago. People seem to keep more and sell less now, I guess more people here have more money now. Our arms fairs seem to get less and less exciting each year. And I frequently get things cheaper on Ebay UK than in actual shops here. I go to shops to look. I go to Ebay to buy. At least on lower value stuff. And a lot of my favourite UK dealers are actually not in London (not to mention Wallace and Wallace auctions).

Of places outside the UK I have found good stuff - Nice in southern France has quite a few antique dealers with interesting things, and surprisingly not too expensive. France has quite a lot of good African and Asian antique arms for the same reason as Britain - the Empire factor. If I'm buying online then America and Canada are good now, because the currency is so weak compared to the British Pound and Euro. Postage isn;t even so bad as it used to be. And I take a certain pride in importing weapons from the colonies and back to the heart of the Empire.

Spunjer · 11th April 2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

And I take a certain pride in importing weapons from the colonies and back to the heart of the Empire.

feel the same in a roundabout way... as i do about collecting filipino weapons. ya might as well call me the Repo Man

Battara · 11th April 2007, 06:00 PM

Diddo.....

Matt Easton · 11th April 2007, 10:15 PM

I hate political correctness and it's refreshing to see a bit of unapologetic Imperialism.

Matt

G. McCormack · 12th April 2007, 02:56 PM

Unapologetic Imperialism eh???

Interesting responses from everyone. Its interesting that one can often find better prices in this global ebay-era market than in little shops in the country of origin. Here in my region its said that gun shows used to be great for Japanese swords...maybe 20 years ago. Afraid I missed out on that. But Philipino weapons seem much more available in this area.
Josh it certainly would be neat to buy wootz from places like Afghanistan; if one could do with a modicum of safety.

Why is it that so many of the places that made my favourite swords are current hotspots of violent activity???

ariel · 13th April 2007, 04:18 AM

Several years ago, I did quite well in Budapest: they have a slew of antique shops near Kalman Imre street . There were nice old Hungarian swords, tons of yataghans, kilijes etc.
The prices were ~ half of the then-prevailing e-bay prices and many sellers had no idea what they were talking about ( every buyer's dream!).
It must have changed since.....

Detroit Gun and Knife shows used to be good, but going to Detroit is like roaming around Waziristan and waving Stars and Stripes

Yannis · 13th April 2007, 08:21 AM

Ah, Ariel, why you remind me Budapest! I was there a dozen years ago and I had found some excellent swords but I had no knowledge and I was not so addicted like today, so I didn’t get them.

Later a lot of times I am thinking of these swords. Now you open again an old wound.
Also I still dream the fine shamshir I didn’t get the same era from Istanbul. Today I could kill for that. BTW Istanbul now has triple prices than London.

Battara · 22nd April 2007, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G. McCormack

Here in my region its said that gun shows used to be great for Japanese swords...maybe 20 years ago. Afraid I missed out on that. But Philipino weapons seem much more available in this area.

What area are you in?

Maybe we can talk - until then, I see PI/Moro and Japanese still around at the gun shows here in town.

11th April 2007, 03:00 PM	#1
Matt Easton Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, Great Britain. Posts: 53	I live in London, so it's maybe hard for me to be objective. But I was surprised that London came up so favourably. And then I thought about it - yes there is a LOT of stuff here. But not nearly as much as there was 15 years ago. People seem to keep more and sell less now, I guess more people here have more money now. Our arms fairs seem to get less and less exciting each year. And I frequently get things cheaper on Ebay UK than in actual shops here. I go to shops to look. I go to Ebay to buy. At least on lower value stuff. And a lot of my favourite UK dealers are actually not in London (not to mention Wallace and Wallace auctions). Of places outside the UK I have found good stuff - Nice in southern France has quite a few antique dealers with interesting things, and surprisingly not too expensive. France has quite a lot of good African and Asian antique arms for the same reason as Britain - the Empire factor. If I'm buying online then America and Canada are good now, because the currency is so weak compared to the British Pound and Euro. Postage isn;t even so bad as it used to be. And I take a certain pride in importing weapons from the colonies and back to the heart of the Empire.

11th April 2007, 06:00 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,310	Diddo.....

11th April 2007, 10:15 PM	#4
Matt Easton Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, Great Britain. Posts: 53	I hate political correctness and it's refreshing to see a bit of unapologetic Imperialism. Matt

12th April 2007, 02:56 PM	#5
G. McCormack Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 131	Unapologetic Imperialism eh??? Interesting responses from everyone. Its interesting that one can often find better prices in this global ebay-era market than in little shops in the country of origin. Here in my region its said that gun shows used to be great for Japanese swords...maybe 20 years ago. Afraid I missed out on that. But Philipino weapons seem much more available in this area. Josh it certainly would be neat to buy wootz from places like Afghanistan; if one could do with a modicum of safety. Why is it that so many of the places that made my favourite swords are current hotspots of violent activity???

13th April 2007, 04:18 AM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Several years ago, I did quite well in Budapest: they have a slew of antique shops near Kalman Imre street . There were nice old Hungarian swords, tons of yataghans, kilijes etc. The prices were ~ half of the then-prevailing e-bay prices and many sellers had no idea what they were talking about ( every buyer's dream!). It must have changed since..... Detroit Gun and Knife shows used to be good, but going to Detroit is like roaming around Waziristan and waving Stars and Stripes

13th April 2007, 08:21 AM	#7
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Ah, Ariel, why you remind me Budapest! I was there a dozen years ago and I had found some excellent swords but I had no knowledge and I was not so addicted like today, so I didn’t get them. Later a lot of times I am thinking of these swords. Now you open again an old wound. Also I still dream the fine shamshir I didn’t get the same era from Istanbul. Today I could kill for that. BTW Istanbul now has triple prices than London.