Collecting in China

[jutettsu8]

Hello, I'm currently living in China, I'd like to know if there are any collectors in China on here or if there are any specific laws on importing antique Japanese swords into China, as well as the possession of it. 

Thank you for your help!

 

Jonas D.

[Brian]

Jonas,
As far as I know, they are illegal there. But like most things, that doesn't stop anyone and there are large and decent collections there.
There is/was a large Chinese forum on Japanese swords at http://www.hfsword.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?fid=4 but it doesn't seem to be loading right now. Perhaps try a VPN or the Wayback machine to take a look.
@Guido will also be able to advise you more, as will @Lee Bray

[Stephen]

I've sold two swords to a high end collector in China. Not sure if i still have his contract info. Id have to ask him first anyway.

[Peter Bleed]

Jonas,

I am NOT about to say that I am jealous of anybody, but I do have to tell you that I think being a "sword" collector in China today would HAVE to be a great adventure. And, yes, I suppose that there must be both a market for and a reservoir of "Japanese" sword in China. But the real potential that I see is in "Chinese swords". There MUST be huge numbers of old Chinese weaponry, but it sure looks like it is poorly organized and poorly exploited. Books on Chinese edge weaponry - in any language - seem scant. If I were in the Peoples Paradise I would search flea markets and friendship stores. The Cultural Revolution could NOT have destroyed it all.

Good hunting!

Peter

[jutettsu8]

Thank you! I've messaged Guido and Lee. 

On the Chinese "ebay"(kinda) I've seen loads of antiques, sometimes even nihonto, mostly Chinese bronze era antiques though, which seem quite interesting, but I know next to nothing about Chinese swords, since as you said, books on Chinese swords are indeed quite scarce... I'll take a look at the flea market here in Xi'an!

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Try @BANGBANGSAN as well. 

[Surfson]

Some years ago, there was a Chinese student in Chicago that had a brisk business of buying swords from collectors and at the Chicago sword show and exporting them to China. He bought and imported a range of quality and cost.  For the low end swords, he had "polishers" there that worked very inexpensively and I believe that he turned a nice profit.  

 

One problem is that I believe that they are illegal to import into China.  I recall that his solution for this was to export them from the US to Hong Kong.  Once there, he would move them into mainland China by truck or car.  

[gun addict]

I work with a gentleman in China who imports Japanese swords. Thing is fake swords are so well done now in China collectors now refuses to buy anything that does not come with a Japanese registration paper.

 

pm me. I will give you his WeChat info,