Okay, turns out I put this in the wrong forum (thanks, twickster!
I’m looking for a reputable dealer/appraiser for some knives/swords I brought back from Afghanistan, as well as some precious stones I brought back from same. As I said in the other thread, I seem to recall that at least one Doper deals in antique militaria, but can’t recall their name at the moment. I’ve looked around the web and most online appraisal services want cash up front, then want me to send the item in, which is very not cool. Any information/help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
I can’t offer any advice beyond saying that yes, I agree sending them in seems like a dicey proposition at best. I would definitely be concerned the items are fakes if they came from Afghanistan as that is a real problem over there. I work with a lot of military folks who have brought back ‘antique’ firearms from the region and while they are easily identified as fakes, some have surprisingly good craftsmanship, often being a combination of real antique components (like a trigger guard) used on an otherwise more recent (but artificially aged) wood stock and barrel of a percussion cap pistol. I’d hunt around for antique military vendor in your area and see if they can help, or wait until a knife and gun show comes to town and take them there to at least get an evaluation. Don’t be surprised if you have a bunch of knock-offs.