Alex A

Reply below. Dear Alex , Thank you for your email . Bladed items are still not allowed to be sent but do you normally send the same sort of antique swords and are you sending them inland and internationally . My manager has said if you can send in photograph of the item, full description we can ask someone to double check for you This information should be on our website Prohibited Bladed Items Hunting/combat/survival type knives, daggers, movie knives that promote violence (such as Rambo or Crocodile Dundee style knives), replica fighting knives, throwing knives, machetes, swords, fantasy knives, knives with images or words that suggest use for violence, stiletto knives, battle axes, open razors/folding razors and any similar items are prohibited and cannot be sent. Also see Arms, Ammunition and Weapons. The following are not prohibited and will instead be treated as Restricted Bladed Items, provided the only intended use is one of the permitted uses listed below: Bladed items that are: commonly used for sporting activities; commonly used for religious ceremonial purposes (must be blunted); sgian dubhs (must be blunted and for ornamental purposes); being sent to a recognised museum; commonly used in historical re-enactment (must be blunted); commonly used in theatrical productions (must be blunted); and antiques. Note: in order to avoid your item being treated as prohibited, in the event of any checks it would be helpful to include supporting documentation to enable us to verify the relevant permitted use listed above. Important: Items intended by the person sending or receiving it to cause injury to a person are always prohibited and will be treated/handled as such regardless of whether or not they fall into one of the permitted uses above. In addition, see Arms, Ammunition and Weapons which are also prohibited regardless of whether or not they fall into one of the permitted uses above. For guidance on sending these types of items internationally please see bladed section under restricted Bladed items – “Knives” or “Blades” defined by s141A Criminal Justice Act 1988 or ‘Bladed Products’ as defined by s41 of Offensive Weapons Act 2019. Such items include, but are not limited to, any knife or knife blade, including cutlery knives, bread knives, knives that can be used for hobbies and trades (for instance, utility knives and snap-off cutters, gardening, camping, bushcraft and farming tools with a blade or any other trade tool that could commonly be described as a knife), butcher knives (including meat cleavers), felling axes, razor blades. Sharp or pointed items – (excludes: (i) knives prohibited under UK law - see Arms, Ammunition and Weapons - and (ii) Bladed items.) Includes, but not limited to scissors, mini chopper blades, food processor blades, sewing kits, knitting needles, syringes, chisels, piercing awls, saws, nails, pins, fishing hooks. These items can be sent with packaging guidelines below: • Package appropriately so items present no risk to employees, other postal items or recipients. • Wrap heavy cardboard around sharp edges and points, strong enough to ensure that the contents do not pierce the outer packaging. • Wrap each item with cushioning material and place in a suitable outer container such as a padded envelope. • The sender's name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging. Please Note; Broken glass / broken ceramic items are prohibited from being posted. Kind regards Executive Customer Service Team Parcelforce Worldwide CEO Office

Perhaps for old Tosho tsuba, something like "XXL large old industrial washer"

Out of curiosity. Made it easy for myself and just replied to Parcelforces last email regarding the sword ban. Linked the Royal Mail update. Told them this is great news for antique collectors, and asked if they are following with the update?. Will see what comes back.

Got a replica when i was around 12 or 13, when Shogun was on tv. Long wait after that, and it was only thanks to a girlfriend at the time that had a pc, i was miles behind. Discovered the online Lanes Armoury in my 30s and it was like WOW. Bought a Koto blade signed Kanekado, didnt know enough to appreciate it and wish i could look at it again now. Real long nakago/tsuka. Nice old koshirae and from memory the tsuba was a real good one, Yoshiro Mon type. Had a strange nightmare that night. Returned that and got a papered sword, only one in the shop, Edo Kiyomitsu sword. Kanbun shape. Thinking back, shouldn't really buy swords until clued up a bit.

Think id go with something similar. Japanese iron artwork metal craft, Japanese copper artwork metal craft. Ps, From recent experience i heard about with a Japanese dealer. You really need to make every effort to get things done the way you want, otherwise they go autopilot and do everything the same way they have always done.

Wow, cant believe we are now discussing how to get tsuba passed customs. Strange times.

Aye, see where it came from now. Prohibited goods - items you can't send through the post (royalmail.com) Perhaps antiques just for internal UK shipping, needs clarification.

Sadly, your never going to know how it got there.

Yes Michael, definitely. I cant find on their website the info you provide above Michael, can you remember where you found it? At least UPS still accept modern swords.

Leave it for 3 days and see if its any better then. Maybe swollen with the water.

Its a pity Parcelforce have not given leeway for traditionally forged blades such as Shinsakuto.

Behind on this, that's great to hear. Think this doom and gloom thread had put me off reading further. Anyways., will add this. For Shinsakuto coming from Japan via EMS, EMS just returned a tanto to a dealer. It was all filled in correctly with the correct customs tariff. The dealer has now shipped via UPS. I will forward the info above to the dealer regarding antiques.

Id say it was common. Had one on a saya of mine when i was a kid. Don't know how it got there, it just did. Probably my cousins or something sword fighting with it, when i wasn't around.

Hi George, agree its unlikely they will ban antique swords but who knows, one day may need a license to own them. For me the issue is importing swords, its being killed off slowly but surely. There just isn't enough for sale in the UK to keep me happy. As time moves on collectors can get extremely picky and the chances of finding what they want in the UK, is zero. However the market in the UK seems ok, folks are still buying up what comes available. Some folks in fact will only buy in the UK and that is understandable.

I was optimistic about young collectors but now that's gone out the Window. I'm only talking UK here but sure more and more countries around the globe will zoom in on the subject. With what's going on in the UK at the moment and government shouting loud about knives and stop and search etc etc, its doomed. EMS now return blades back to sender in Japan that are on route to UK Anyways, don't want turn this into another Brit debate but its how i feel about younger collectors prospects of being involved and actually owning swords. Us older ones will hang on to what we have, then send to auction or pass stuff on to our kids should they want it. Understandably, they might decline.

Was thinking this looking at the San Francisco pic earlier. Id say about 55, Young uns dont have the spare cash to waste

Would love to hear what Ian has to say, Russ. Not seen him here for a while, pity.

Probably did your friends a favour, Ray. The polish would likely make their eyes water.

Maybe your right Colin, Love reading the the Lanes emails, find them intriguing.............................the latest. Like the use of "possibly" "stunning" "superb" and "rare"and MurAmachi. Today's resume new additions list covering the past week, includes; A Stunning Quality Wakazashi Signed with Honorific Title Masatoshi, Lord of Etchu, Han Dachi Mounted, Gold Dragon Menuki, Blade Mishina School Early 1600's, Wonderful Signed Tsuba and Matching Kozuka Depicting the Tiger in the Bamboo Grove A Fine, French Napoleonic Wars Consulat To Empire Period Early 19th Century Flintlock Officer's Pistol From 1801, Manufacture St Etienne, Lock Interior Marked Duran A Stunning Pair Of Tsuba, Original Early Daisho Sukashi Rokakku Clan Mon Iron Maru Gata Tsuba An Early Crusades Period Reliquary Cross Pendant Still Sealed From the Ancient Holy Land. Approximately 1000 years old A Simply Stunning Ancient Bronze Age Lobed Mace Head, from the Era of Rameses The Great, Pharoah of Egypt, Circa 1300 B.C. A Most Resplendent, Original Antique and Rare, Victorian, Royal Household, Royal Horse Guards Fanfare Trumpet Banner A Superb Original Spencer Carbine, Probably the Best Carbine Rifle of the American Civil War, and, In The Wild West A Personalised & Named Naval Sword of an 1804 Naval Hero Commodore of a British East Indiaman Fleet & His Original Framed Portrait Rare 1st Edition 'Reveries or Memoirs Upon The Art of War', Printed in 1757 A Magnificent 18th Century Silver Hilted Small Sword with Colichmarde Blade. This Is One Of The Most Beautiful We Have Seen in Several years A Scarce German WW2, Luftwaffe officer's or Possibly SS Officer's Sword or Dagger Belt Hanger Mount Koto Period Samurai Katana, Circa 1550 From The Muramachi Era, A Most Fine Blade with Midare and Large Waves Hamon, & Nioi & Nie Deki, a Masame & Itame Hada, in Very Good Polish, Shibuishi Dragon Fly Fuchi Kashira An Extremely Rare Example of a Vijayanagara Hooded Katar From South India,16th To Early 17th century. A Superb Old English-Viking Large 'Winged' Spear Javelin Head With Later Haft. A Vital Component in 'Shield Wall' Battles Over 1000 Years Old

Looks like lacquer over rust pitting.

The dealer will refund him, they are ok like that.. Once they get the sword back, which should be tomorrow. He awaits their response regarding UPS. All this just shows you cant trust some dealers. You can spoon feed them details and some will just ignore you and do it the usual way. Obviously not got their head around the issue here yet. Wouldn't mind but i sent a direct mail asking them about delivery a few months ago on a sword i was interested in, he told them at the start of the purchase. Different staff dealing with it maybe.

He has just heard from the dealer. The dealer says the package was sent on the 1st Aug and EMS have returned to sender. Seems they are on the ball with regarding shipping swords to UK. Now if the dealer does not want to ship via UPS, or cant for some reason. Its effectively GAME OVER.