Product classification
HS code for Vintage drawing: 9701.21
Paintings, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years.
Classification of vintage drawing under HS 9701.21
The classification of a vintage drawing under HS code 9701.21 is determined by two primary legal criteria: the method of execution and the chronological age of the work. To qualify for this specific heading, the artwork must be executed entirely by hand. This means the image must be created through the direct application of media to a substrate by an artist, excluding any mechanical, semi-mechanical, or photomechanical processes. Furthermore, the term 'vintage' in this regulatory context specifically refers to items that are over 100 years old. If a drawing is hand-executed but was created within the last century, it would instead fall under subheading 9701.91. The classification covers works where the artistic value and antiquity are the primary characteristics, rather than the material value of the paper or ink. It is important to note that while the work must be manual, the use of tools like compasses or rulers does not disqualify it, provided the actual drawing is not a printed reproduction. The substrate is typically paper, but can include parchment, vellum, or even textile, provided the work remains a drawing or pastel.
- Covers
- Hand-drawn charcoal sketches exceeding 100 years of age
- Antique pen and ink illustrations
- Original pastel portraits from the 19th century or earlier
- Hand-executed pencil studies by historical artists
- Antique silverpoint drawings
- Also under 9701.21
- A 19th-century Impressionist oil painting
- a Baroque era charcoal drawing
- a Victorian pastel portrait
- an early 20th-century Cubist drawing
- a Dutch Golden Age landscape painting
Codes often confused with 9701.21
Common mistake. The most frequent error is confusing 9701.21 with 9701.91, which is used for modern hand-drawings (less than 100 years old). Another common mistake involves heading 4906, which covers industrial, architectural, or engineering plans and designs; even if these are hand-drawn and old, they are excluded from 9701. Additionally, if a drawing is a hand-colored print rather than a work executed entirely by hand, it may be misclassified here when it should actually fall under 9702.
Top exporters and importers of HS 970121 (the code used for vintage drawing), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 970121 (the code used for vintage drawing) in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 29% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 39% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Figures cover everything classified under HS 970121, not only vintage drawing.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 United States $1.8B 29% of world exports
- 2 Hong Kong $1.7B 27% of world exports
- 3 Switzerland $1.2B 19% of world exports
World total: $6.2B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 United States $2.2B 39% of world imports
- 2 Hong Kong $1.6B 29% of world imports
- 3 United Kingdom $293M 5.2% of world imports
World total: $5.6B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
How these figures are built
109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).
Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.
Brazil NCM code for vintage drawing
Brazil classifies vintage drawing under NCM 9701.21.00: HS 9701.21 with 00 added.
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about vintage drawing
What is the HS code for Vintage drawing?
The HS code for Vintage drawing is 970121 (Paintings, drawings and pastels; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years). The HS code for a hand-executed drawing that is over 100 years old is 9701.21.
How do I classify Vintage drawing for customs?
Vintage drawing is classified under HS code 970121 — Paintings, drawings and pastels; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Does the frame change the HS code?
Under General Interpretative Rule 5(b), frames are classified with the artwork if they are of a kind normally sold therewith and do not give the whole its essential character.
Which countries are the top exporters of vintage drawing (HS 970121)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 970121 (the code used for vintage drawing) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($1.8B, 29% of world exports), Hong Kong ($1.7B) and Switzerland ($1.2B). World exports came to about $6.2B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Which countries are the top importers of vintage drawing (HS 970121)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 970121 (the code used for vintage drawing) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($2.2B, 39% of world imports), Hong Kong ($1.6B) and the United Kingdom ($293M). World imports came to about $5.6B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Is the HS code for Vintage drawing the same in all countries?
The base HS code 970121 for Vintage drawing is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.
What is the NCM code for vintage drawing in Brazil?
In Brazil, vintage drawing (HS 970121) is classified under NCM 9701.21.00.