Matt Easton, founder of Easton Antique Arms and the historical fencing club Schola Gladiatoria, shares his journey into the antiques industry, historical fencing, and the challenges faced by his business due to shipping restrictions on items with blades. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by antique sword dealers due to changes in shipping regulations and age verification services. It explores the impact on the antique trade, the ambiguity in the rules, and the need for a more secure and responsible delivery network. The discussion also highlights the complexity of UK weapons law and the potential solutions to address the issues faced by the industry. YouTube scholagladiatoria www.antique-swords.co.uk Matt Easton on Twitter Matt on Instagram CONTACT [email protected] Instagram @thegavelandthegabble Twitter @GavelandGabble  TikTok @laughingauctioneer www.windsorauctions.co.uk www.lymebayauctions.co.uk TIME STAMPS 01:08 Matt Easton's Background and Introduction to Easton Antique Arms 06:36 The Intersection of Historical Fencing and Antique Swords 10:12 The Fascination with History and Technology in Arms and Armour 14:44 Bringing History to Life through Historical Re-enactment 23:54 The Richness of the 19th Century in Arms and Armour 28:05 The Challenge of Shipping Restrictions for Antique Swords 00:41 The Historical and Educational Significance of Swords 42:04 The Need for a Legal and Responsible Transfer System 53:59 Finding a Balanced Solution ABOUT THE PODCAST  The Gavel and The Gabble is a podcast hosted by Harry and Simon who, together, are lucky enough to run two provincial Auction Houses in Windsor, Berkshire and Seaton, Devon. Now we know there are lots of TV shows about buying and selling antiques and collectables but we thought followers of this podcast would like to hear about what goes on behind the scenes of an actual working auction house as we go about our daily business, the characters we meet, the things we find, and the things we wished we had never found. Famed for our slightly different auctioneering style, constant chatting on the rostrum, awful jokes. Stick with us as we bunk off to record anecdotes, interview others in the industry and basically gabble on. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a rating.  Music from Lemonmusicstudio Production by David Burd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.