Ebay sellers UK

[oristt]

Hi, Does anyone know of any honest ebay sellers within the uk selling Japanese swords that you would recomend as you hear so many stories?

 

How do we in the uk stand with regards to buying swords from Japan with laws?

 

Thanks Kyle

[pcfarrar]

Hi Kyle,

 

We have just a handful of good honest dealers.

 

Bill Tagg of Liverpool militaria is trustworthy, you can find him at militaria fairs or at his shop in Liverpool. He'll also take the swords he sells back in trade so you can upgrade to a better sword in the future.

 

Kevin at ryujinswords is also very good to deal with and he can source swords from Japan for you.

 

If you are near London visit Don Bayneys shop which is close to the British Museum. He has a good reputation, a retired Vietnam veteran I believe.

 

Buying from Japan yourself will mean running the customs gauntlet, and if they seize your shipment you have the hassle of paperwork etc.

 

Peter

[oristt]

Hello Peter,

 

Ok thanks for confirming that about Kevin at ryujinswords as i have been looking at his auctions.

 

Kind Regards

Kyle

[shan]

Also note that there are UK sellers on this very forum who will sell you a sword and advertise there sales here in the for sale section.

I doubt that any of them would try to rip you off as the goods are posted with all the info the seller has on the items.

Everything depends on your budget though.

I have a Later soshu sunobi Tanto and a NTHK Kanteisho den Takada Saneyuki Handachi thats in the "For sale" section and i always offer a money back guarantee,as i want the buyer to be happy.

I think there may be a few more that also can offer you this degree of safety.

have a look at the section

regards

shan

[Henry Stewart]

Hi Kyle

 

Just to endorse Peter Farrars recommendation of Bill Tagg of Liverpool Militaria,I started my collection some years ago now with three swords from him; also

I have just bought a "special" with the help of Shan and received exactly as described.

Prices in both instances could be described as fair and reasonable.

 

Henry

[Hermes]

"Also note that there are UK sellers on this very forum who will sell you a sword and advertise there sales here in the for sale section."

 

You can add Peter Farrar to that list and he sells on Ebay as well.

[Brian]

You can add Peter Farrar to that list and he sells on Ebay as well.

You mean the first guy to post a reply in this thread.. :lol:

Yep..gotta agree

 

Brian

[oristt]

Hi guys you have all been such a great help! :D

 

Can i ask what Peter Farrar's Ebay seller name is?

 

p.s. how do you add location to your profile?

[Brian]

Kyle,

Just go into your profile (top of the forum) and then click on your profile on the left, and you can add your location there. Best also to add your first name in your signature there so you don't have to sign all posts.

I believe Pete's ebay id is pcfarrar

 

Regards,

Brian

[Kevin]

How do we in the uk stand with regards to buying swords from Japan with laws?

 

Hi Kyle, glad you got here. :-)

 

The UK law as it stands outlaws all curved single-edged blades over 50 cm unless they are antiques, made in Japan prior to 1953, made in Japan by traditional methods after 1953, are for sporting purposes (martial arts), educational purposes, or re-enactment.

 

The intended purpose was to outlaw cheap stainless steel wallhangers that were, very rarely (compared to guns and knives, especially Stanley knives and carving knives) being used as weapons. The rather predictable upshot was that the manufacturers of these blades promptly made them straight for the UK market (see, for example, Ebay UK), thus evading the law. In addition the popularity of cheap Japanese-style blades less than 50 cm long has gone up. They're not covered by the law and are easier to hide under a coat. :?

 

In short, the law is an ass - and already unworkable - but we have to live with it.

 

At present it appears, from reports from a wide number of people, that Customs are stopping anything that says 'sword', whether it is over 50 cm or not. They then send you a standard letter saying that they've detained it. You then email or mail them reasons why it shouldn't be detained. All things being equal, and your evidence being sufficient, they'll release the sword.

 

Normally I don't have a huge amount of trouble (by now they're aware of me and may go "Oh God, it's him again when tehy see the address :-)), though it may take time - but then Customs have got themselves in a bind over this and there's a backlog. I gather that they're not happy with the situation either, but they don't want to accidentally let a banned sword through and get the resulting flak. It's a no-win situation from their POV, but they have their job to do.

 

Marking it as antique and using the relevant harmonised tariff codes doesn't mean that it won't get stopped. I recently had to send them a letter pointing out that the reason why the sword was exempt was given on the declaration, as quoted by them - it was an antique.

 

OTOH, one person sent me a sword marked as 'toy' on the Customs declaration, and it sailed straight through. Very silly, and not recommended. I nearly had a fit when I saw it, cos Customs could have gone ape-s**t and I'd have had a degree of trouble.

 

As for my Ebay selling, and selling from my site, I'll be content with the judgement of others. If I do everything right, the reports should be good. :-) Though cock-ups do happen. Mind you, I don't flag up my stuff on here - it goes against my ideas of etiquette.

 

Peter - thanks for the kind words. :-)

 

Kevin

[Kevin]

BTW, someone remarked in a post that I can't find that some dealers cared more about £s than customers. Possibly true of some - though if you're working as a dealer, you have to keep an eye on the £s, or else you'll go out of business.

 

OTOH, it is very bad business sense to have upset customers, or to get a bad rep through ripping folks off. Very short-sighted - dumb in fact.

 

Personally, I'm doing this because I love swords. I also want out from my job with the Civil Service, which would allow me to spend a lot more time with my family (anyone like 6 hours commuting every day?). If you're going to have to earn a living, you might as well do it by doing something you love. :-)

 

As for customers and suppliers - from my POV it's best to conduct things in a friendly and helpful manner. Kyle, for example, got directed here because a) I was short of time over Christmas to help him and b) there's folks here who are more knowledgeable than I. In the course of doing business in a friendly and helpful manner, folks may even become friends. I have no objections to spending a day chatting to people with whom I get on, or even going the extra mile if they are after something. :-) In fact some people, including some of my suppliers, recently sent me emails hoping my baby daughter and partner would soon get better - they've been ill over Christmas, my partner especially so. I was rather touched by that.

 

Now if you can make a living doing that, you're lucky. OTOH, upset folks and you'd have to spend several days dealing with irate folks and have no repeat business. As I said, dumb. Cock-ups do happen, but it is always best to admit it to someone before they come screaming in your direction. However, that's just being an adult.

 

It is all pretty simple, leastways from my POV. It just puzzles me that some sellers haven't got the idea yet. :? Is it that complex? Doing something you love, doing it as well as you can, and having an enjoyable time with the people you meet in the course of doing so? And have them going away feeling that they've got a good exchange for their hard-earned cash? It's not a difficult concept I'd have thought, and doing the opposite is so much hard work and stress. I mean, which way would you prefer to run a business? :?

 

Mind you, some customers don't seem to have got the idea either. There are some needlessly impolite folks out there. Fortunately so far few have come in my direction - mostly people have been a pleasure to deal with. Ebayers however can be a slightly different kettle of fish - some really do expect to pick up a papered sword in fresh polish for the price of a gunto in dodgy condition. I remember one guy, ages ago, being rather rude about me not accepting his 'Best Offer' of £300 for a papered, polished 17th century nihonto in damn near flawless condition. "Cash is king, man!" he wrote, "you'll have to drop the price sooner or later if you want to sell it." I didn't, he didn't get the sword, and somebody else paid what I asked. Personally I thought his offer derisory to the point of being insulting.

 

Some Ebayers really do expect to pick up things dirt cheap. Their expectations thus slant the market on Ebay towards the price range they expect, as well as providing the conditions for rip-off merchants to exploit. If folks expect to get something for nothing, then other people will appear to exploit that expectation. Me, I'd be very wary of a something-for-nothing item, but some folks on Ebay would pile in there.

 

The upshot tends to be that some of the better dealers either don't sell on Ebay, don't sell their best on Ebay, or (in a few cases) have withdrawn from Ebay altogether.

 

Then again, there are folks who apparently think that all dealers (especially Ebay dealers) are the font of all evil. Oh well. :? The truth, as usual, is rather more complex and less black and white.

 

Can't say that I've dealt with either Bill Tagg or Don Bayney yet, though I've heard of both of them from mutual friends. By a few historical accidents I've got more links abroad. However, sooner or later you get to hear about, then meet, most folks in this business. It's amazing how many people do know each other. :-) However, it is a small field.

 

Peter Farrar, OTOH, was a delight to deal with when he was last round here. :D

 

Anyway, just a view from the other side of the fence. :-) I'm not entirely sure how on-topic it is though.

 

Kevin