I Want to be an Arms Dealer

[Edrof]

Hello all!

After a health scare I'm now following my passion for bringing historical weaponry to the masses (in an interior design context) and I'd like to set up as a dealer. I already have a website and a bit of a following on Instagram, I can source products quite easily and I have a clear set of goals but, like many people trying to follow their dreams, I have no idea about the nuts and bolts side of things so I'd love a bit of advice from anyone who has set up as a shop.

Do I need to get an accountant or is it easy to get your head around the books and taxes yourself?

Lastly, you chaps are probably slap-bang in the middle of my target audience (dear God) so I'll probably be doing some market research on you in the future.

 

[Edrof]

Are you wanting to buy from these then mount and display for others in a LL-B type of fashion? Would you consider using your own stock plus others and maybe set up a stall to try and sell them before you fully commit?

If you look at D&B and WWA their niche is they deactivate their own under licence and controls. they source from around the world and import themselves, it's hugely complicated I assume that's not the line you want to follow?

Will you be wearing a beret, scarf and tweed jacket?

LL-B?

I have a Barbour wax jacket already and a flat cap so I'm ahead of the game. I will be concentrating on antique European and Indo-Persian weaponry, no firearms as they just complicate things, and presenting them as investment-level interior design features (with framing options, proper photography, professional write-ups). Frankly, I want to move these beautiful and historical items from the musty militaria fairs and into the modern home.

It'll be very difficult to set up an online shop. PayPal, SagePay, and most other payment provider won't even talk to you if you're selling weapons. Even deactivated guns and other completely harmless things will cause issues.

I know of a shop who sell small parts for guns (springs, washers, bolts, etc) and they got banned from paypal even though they dont actually sell guns - or any other weapons.

Thanks for that. I don't plan on having a proper checkout system just yet but many other militaria dealers do have a method in place so there must be a solution.

Do you sell Mac 10s? And how fast can you get them?

No, but I plan to be the main UK source for antique boxing stances.

The Police and Crime Act 2017 forbids the sale, swap, gifting or inheritance of any firearms deactivated before April 2016 within the European Union.

Indeed. I have some deactivated examples but I won't be buying and selling them.

Get an accountant. You don't know the laws or the rules.

Given your specialism, I take it you are aware of Matt Easton of Easton Antique Arms and Schola Gladatoria?

I think an accountant might be the way to go, at least at first until I know what I'm doing. I do know Matt, yes.

 

[Edrof]

Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen

My wife and kids bought me a potato masher for fathers day this year. The parcel is in the hall I'm not allowed to touch it yet

Aha!

You'd need to prove the buyer is over 18 for a start, how would you go about that? Ask for ID prior to purchase?

I already do that with people I don't know: I ask for a photo of a driver's licence or similar.

I always enjoy looking on Matt Eastons website. His sword descriptions are great.
I keep toying with the idea of collecting antique swords.
Swords with provenance interest me the most, so I'll put it off for a few years until I can put more cash towards it.

I'm not just saying this, but aside from their amazing history they are excellent investments. I've made FAR more by putting my money into them than any bank account.

Ever been to the Royal Armouries in Leeds or read a book called Classical Weaponry of Japan?
I'm talking about serious hardcore gear

Nope, but I've read many others. I don't know much about Japanese swords...yet.

You're making them into furniture?
Depending on how that's done, you might instead alienate a lot of the enthusiast/collector market and instead attract clueless new-money modernist types who don't give a **** about the write-ups, because to them it's just a sword...


Alas, that market is already well covered...

Essentially, yes, but I bringing them into the everyday home will only increase the appreciation of them, in my opinion.

Your pictures are pretty good, another option to get you started might be to sell prints (digital / framed) on places like Etsy. Digital is really easy to run as they just download the file but you will make more money on framed prints (you can get a third party to handle that if you like). Perhaps add a bit of history or a quote from the time period to put some story in to the pic, something to appeal to a wider market.

Just an idea anyway.

Thank you! Someone else has mentioned doing prints but I don't know who would buy them, to be honest.

 

[Edrof]

Thanks again all!

This is actually pretty awesome niche you've got here.

But I feel as though you might do better targeting professional/business audience and keeping your website as more of a blog/promotional tool?

Building up a customer list and seeking out shows (if there are any?) would be a good start, other established collectors, museums, media production groups etc.

But I defiantly do understand what you're attempting to do with them, especially with how people like to design their homes now lol

Btw I can tell your my fiancée certainly doesn't use those as sword knots... https://www.instagram.com/p/BieY-PaHgAE/?hl=en

What does she use them as... *gasp*?

And thanks. I have excellent links with the militaria collectors but it's getting into the mainstream market that will be the tricky part. I'll need to do some more interior design and lifestyle research.

Fantastic collection you got there lad.

I'm not exactly someone who has a passion for this kind of stuff but can appreaciate the importance.

Thank you, sir!

Will you be dealing with weapons in the form of words?

The pen is mightier, after all!

An interior design feature made of weapons that aren't firearms...

It's the Iron Throne of Westeros, isn't it?

Okay, that honestly sounds like a great idea...

 

[Edrof]

some of your sig pics are cool, but some are too "busy" for my tastes, taking the attention away from the weapons.

I understand. I quite like how busy they are as I want to show some historical context and tell little stories for the viewer to interpret but I'm now moving to less cluttered vignettes, partly because I'm running out of period props! I am no photographer at all and have no education in anything to do with this field so I'm still finding my feet and I thank you for the feedback.

Well you can still buy inert/deacs easily enough, just tick a box to confirm you are over 18 and away you go.Check out Henry Kranks in Leeds to see how it's done.
I just bought a rather nice inert Scottish steel pistol. Mechanism all works but no touch hole and the barrel is blocked and slotted underneath (new post 1017 rules, before then just having no touch hole drilled was enough)
Of course, for real antiques you don't even need a license.

I'd love to see a photo or two.

 

[Edrof]

Do it matey, follow your dreams. The title got me as my wife works for a Saudi bank and is forever visiting arms factories in Europe where she brokers deals. Loads of money to be made in weapons.

Thank you for the words of encouragement!

It's an Indian made replica of a Doune steel pistol, nothing too fancy. Sparks well though The real ones go for several thousand pounds!

I know them - very expensive! That looks like a nice replica.

Can't help too much on the new business stuff, but I for one like the idea and would be interested in seeing products and prices!

Thanks very much! I will keep the thread updated when I get going with things.

 

[Edrof]

@Vince - that's fantastic, thank you very much.