Holts UK Auction

[Feltwad]

Their November auction of antique and modern  weapons once again has plenty to choose from with give away prices  both original and repros .  Original sxs and single both flint and percussion shotguns for less than £150   plus repros for less than £100 it is a buyers market.
Feltwad

[Daryl]

I've long felt the muzzleloading guns at auction in the UK went for a lot less than I thought they would bring.
I assume if is a dwindling market deal.

[T*O*F]

There are half a dozen or more English target and sporting rifles in .451 cal. by Alex Henry, Thos. Turner, Purdey and others.  These are usually as scarce as hen's teeth and seldom seen for sale.  Aging collectors in the UK must be selling off their collections there as well.

[snapper]

Holt does a great job of taking pictures IMO. 

And, no I am not going to bid on the Alex Henry target rifle.  I would love to own it, but I have not shot the Rigby LRML I bought a year ago yet.

I do have my eye on some others, however.

Fleener

[Pukka Bundook]

What is the situation for getting antique arms over here from the UK now, gents?

[Feltwad]

UK gun laws , a lead shot ban in the near future , the anti gun brigade , also the down  fall of the pound these are the main reason why  the market is flooded  .
Feltwad

[Bob Roller]

UK gun laws , a lead shot ban in the near future , the anti gun brigade , also the down  fall of the pound these are the main reason why  the market is flooded  .
Feltwad

That's one $#*! of a note.I remember a seeing signs in Chicago shops that said"Send a gun ti defend a British home".My father sent a Colt pistol of some kind.
Bob Roller

[HighUintas]

I'm wondering the same thing. There's no way I can participate in this auction, but would like to sometime in the near future before the prices change drastically. The Purdey percussion park rifles from the late 1820s have my interest.

For those in the US that have done this, are there a lot of hoops to jump through purchasing and getting them to the US?

[Feltwad]

What is the situation for getting antique arms over here from the UK now, gents?

I am sure Holts  will  advise on  oversea laws and shipping has they have agencies world wide just send them an email
Feltwad

[T*O*F]

I am sure Holts  will  advise on  oversea laws and shipping has they have agencies world wide just send them an email

I didn't look at it, but they have a link on their website about overseas shipping with all the details.

[JTR]

I remember a thread here from the not too distant past discussing what a PITA it is to import arms into this country.
Seems it is doable, but with a large dose of $$$ and time.

[Habu]

Ah, for the good old days!  A friend often tells how he "repatriated" a Rev War rifle from the UK sometime in the '60s: paid cash, carried it on a bus to get to his hotel, then on the plane.  On arrival in the US, no customs as it was considered returning US goods. 

[Daryl]

I just saw a report there were over a million homes in England where the refrigerators and freezers were shut off to save power/money.
Hope you are well, Feltwad & not in this predicament.
"Millions of UK Residents Unplugging Their Refrigerators to Try to Save Money on Electricity" - the headline.

[Feltwad]

There were two percussion rifles by Alex Henry and two Purdey percussion rifles also did not sell
Feltwad

[snapper]

I looked at those.   I did end up winning a Greener unmentionable.

This is my first one from Holts and trying to import/export in the current circumstances.  To get one to the USA it will add perhaps 1K to the final price.

If you bought the Alex Henry at the minimum price of 6,000 pounds that would be around $9000 USD after the exchange rate and buyer's fee.   Then you got to get it exported.   IMO you would be in it for around $10,000.   Not a terrible price as it is a very nice ML.

Fleener

[snapper]

The Alex Henry double rifle in .451 I think had a minimum of $8000 pounds.   With all the extras you would be in it for around $13,000 USD.  It is a very nice set and would be wonderful to own.

I purchased a similar AH .451 double cased for quite a bit less that was already here in the USA a couple years ago.

IMO that rifle was way over priced and that is why it did not sell.

Fleener

[BradBrownBess]

I have imported guns from Germany, Italy, UK, and Switzerland. Now the UK is virtually impossible - Germany is a snap.
UK there is only 1 company that will export anything that can be considered a firearm - that would be a pipe with a small hole in it. You cannot disassemble them and ship in pieces or anything - age does not matter. You will wait for 3 - 6 months or more. You also HAVE TO HAVE a US customs broker you pay to handle getting it in the United States. If you try to handle that customs paperwork yourself - you might as well just forget it.
Whatever you win the auction for - add 50% to 60% before shipping - that usually is a 25% - 30% buyer premium plus, 20% VAT Tax, plus you WILL pay customs US state taxes, and then of course all the little fees they tack on here and there for handling.
So Expect 1 year - a $#*! of a part time job - and misery plus adding about 60 - 75% money on plus your time. If there is a spec of Ivory or animal material on it - add another 6 months and 3 inches of paperwork for CITES permits.
Just watch the auctions and enjoy the beauty - you will never get them here. I've been down every avenue and the best I could come up with was pre COVID and that was workign with a Shotgun reseller/vendor here in US that ships 2 times a year in bulk - these are 10K English shotguns. I could pay him and piggyback on his shipment. But you have to pay to get someone to go pick it up and pack it and deliver it to the actual shipper. Since its a firearm - no pack and ship or packing pick up will touch it.
Thomas Del Mar was the last buy - 1730 French Pistol - I got it - took $#*! and lost most of my hair - but in the end it was more than I will ever get for it.
Good luck should you try!!!
You can work with Hermann Historica and Czerzys - but expect about 3 - 6 months to get here and shipping is a fortune. Last over under Miquelet late 1700's gun from Italy I Paid 950 pack and ship - took 5 months. Beautiful gun - but again - not a bargain.