Herbert

Brian, how do you know that most members are bored of this? It seems this topic got quite some attention? If you don't like other people's oppinions that's fine. Please go ahead and close the topic ... Again the only thing I can say is that people will buy on eBay according to their level of expirience ... the more you buy the more expirience you will gain for sure. I seldom buy anymore on eBay these days but if I do I usually do score very well and my ratio is way better than 1 keeper out of 100 or I would have only 5 swords in my collection by now. So let's consider this topic closed. All the best

Hello brian, I agree it is somewhat bizarre and ridicilous. I still do not understand why some of the well educated folk on this fine board bear so much obejection towards eBay. But nevermind!

Me too got the feeling he might be the "Honjo Masamune" owner, but it's a long time that I'm walking on thin ice on this board and I didn't dare to rise the exception. No that's not me. I only have a Hosho Sadamune but it is Gimei for sure - unfortunately

I can assure you the Mei is good. You are right that the blade is pretty tiered. The is one are of Shintetsu around the Bonji Horimono that is a real shame. You are right it must have been much more beuatifull before but still it bares much quality. Thanks for your kind comments.

Would be interesting to know who polished the blade. I can say he is a real gentleman but unfortunately not offering his service to the public. I am very gratefull he did the polish as blade like this that's been polished many times needs to be polished very carefully.

Guido, Guido! Let's try to get you out of your anti-ebay closet! I understand that it must be frustrating for you to see people come up with decent stuff from eBay where you prefer taking the easy road and buying from your dealer next door ... but even an old dog can sometime still learn a trick if he remains a sharp and opend mind. I never said that I had attributed this blade to Masamitsu. I am way to ignorant and imcapable of such a thing. I only read the Mei ... as it is signed by him and remains Ubu - making it a rare example as most of his stuff is O-Suriage, like yours. I am in no position to judge the chances it would have at Shinsa. There are smarter people out there and I am happy to rely on their oppinion. Just that there's no misunderstanding: I didn't refer to Gudio Schiller with this statement. So if you want throw an Ubu signed Masamitsu Tanto in the dust can then you are either very spoiled or ... well let's keep the gun calm ... Dear Gudio, I would recommend studying the work of Masamitsu more carefully so the next time you see another work by him you are able to recognize it. Maybe you would like to sit down with yours for a start ...

Hello Jean, thank you for your posting. What you said is fair and you are correct in most of it. I shall post pictures of the blade before polishing. I could have taken more pictures and provided the measurements but the point of this Kantei was to deal with the information I provided you and which was more than I had back then on eBay. This topic was about buying on eBay and my point is that judging a blade on eBay and one at a real Kantei / Shinsa is a totally different thing. The eBay hunter will have to look for different things and make up his mind. Most of the participants in this little Kantei came up with Bizen Koto Utsuri ... enough to risk a gamble at USD 650.00. The person who bought this blade did not say it came from eBay. Infact I recently noticed two "Samurai Swords" in the window of a well known local antiques dealer specialized in fire arms and edged weapons. Both where China trash and he was asking around 900 Euros per blade. When telling him that those were Chinese reproductions he just got pretty angry. Hence it is not just eBay. Never the less 99.9% of the swords offered on eBay are chinese junk. However those who only want to spend a couple of bucks will never be able to buy a real Nihonto. If they find out it was junk they still paid little for their lesson. USD 50.00 - 100.00 lost isn't much.

Jean, thank you very much for your posting as it ilustrates what made me post in this very topic and jump the gun a little (but hopefully in a most friendly way). To me your posting illustrates the attitude of a rather ignorant and complacently armchair collector. I don't mean to insult you but that is my utter feeling and impression. Jean, how can you advice anybody NOT to buy on eBay if you complain even about those pictures which I had posted. Don't consider it as a personal attack as I could xxx the name of Jean and replace with some other individual. But as I had put it before eBay is not for those who enjoy looking at centerfolds only but rather for the down to earth guy who wants the gal next door as he looks beneath the make up. Pictures on eBay are often gonzo style and very bad quality.Sstill this shouldn't turn the buyer away. Oaky, it should turn some away because if there were too many buyers there would be nor bargains Back then I was the only bidder on this Tanto at USD 650.00. I was talking about people being spoiled by looking and relying too much on their super duper high quality Nihonto books on catalogues. You can see this when receiving comments that the blade was just tiered. Yes it is tiered but still there is more too it. Some of the member here have come up with a pretty good Kantei! Congratulations to all of you! Even if someone had been miles off, it still would have been a good expirience to sit down and think about a blade. I would like to encourage any collector to view and study as many blades as he can. I often hear you can not judge a blade through pictures ... yes of course it is best to have it in hand and best to have someone there who can point out all the bells and whistle first hand. BUT how many pople do have such a chance? - Those in the USA where there are clubs, a NBTHk branch and excellent shows - Those in Germany who attend the NBTHK branch meetings - Those in Japan of course ... Most of the other folks will have to buy a blade to study it. And yes it is in general safe to buy from a dealer or sell through him ... in general but not always rembering someone from Tulsa just to give one example ... one that cost me more than I had ever lost on eBay within several years. Now back to the blade: When I receivd this blade is was in pretty bad polish and a friend of mine kindly polished it for me. It is a Bizen Masamitsu who worked circa 1356-1394 (Embun to Oei period). There are currently 49 listed Juyo works by him. This one would have easily been the 48 if it wasn't for the Shintetsu. Current chances of it being awarded Juyo are probably only about 40%. Still it is a nice blade with much to look at and enjoy. Atleast it was wortyh of preserving it as it is definately on its last polish. Reagards and good luck hunting for all the other eBay loonies as another kind member put it.

I am still waiting for the Kantei of our well educated membes Jean, sanjuro, Stephen and Veli before I disclose the smith / Nagako.

Hello Paul, a good reasoning. Indeed the Utsuri is a major key in the riddle Regards, Herbert

Dear Jean, sanjuro, Stephen and Veli I would love to hear your Kantei on the blade. No risk, just fun! So throw in your wild guesses!

The direction is absoluetly right

Nice looking sword what is it? Thank you. Please have a guess. I will post images of the Nakago later on ... for now it's Shinsa time

Paul, I can agree to most what you've said again but two points: 1. One problem is that there seem to be hardly any new collectors. 2. A new or better say young collector will hardly have the funds to buy on any other place than eBay. I started collecting when I was still attending school and no other place but eBay would offer me the chance to get my hands on blades at low prices. To me that's been a good school as the benefit was much greater than the drawbacks One think you learn on the eBay street is to look fore more ... if you take a look at Playboy centerfold most people will agree she's a hootie ... however the more important and down to earth task is to find that hootie next door when she has not all the make up on her It's the same with the blade I had posted. It is very easy to notice the polished down horimono but there is much more to it ... Only looking at centerfold or Compton catalogs will just spoil the people and blind them.

No hard feelings but you do not really see good yet ... your eyes still seem to be closed. There is no Kakedashi in this blade either.

Paul, I can agree to most of what you have said and infact there are many bargains on dealer sites. E.g. there have recently been sveral Juyo Token blades priced at 15k - 25k ... many of them being a steal with no risk. I would encourage anybody to invest in the best qualiyt he or she can buy or better say afford as quality is more likely to keep its value and offer continued joy of studying it. As far as eBay goes there are a lot of TBH level quality blades coming from estates and also few blades in the Juyo range. Often it is a gamble but if you play right you will hardly make a loss. Then again - while this is offtopic - we should no emphasize on the paper aspect too much as anybody in the Nihonto world should be familiar with the many questions which papers have aroused and will continue to arouse. That's why I used the term important sword.

The last one ... I must however add that the blade was not in good polish hence some people may not have seen the beauty past the bad polish.

Dear Brian, your posting is just fair and I fully agree that only very few out of a lot swords are worth buying on eBay. However I think this is still a great opportunity and lots of fun. I'd dare to say that even a poor blade and bad condition will offer the novice collector lots of excitement and expirience. A bad sword can still serve as a good example for what to not want in a sword. Here is the last blade I had bought on eBay a while back. I was the only bidder and it was cheap. As you are all fine scholars of the Japanese sword I will not go into details for now but let you do the Kantei. I think it is a nice example of the school, time and maker. Regards, Herbert

I'd say life doesn't take place in an armchair ... atleast mine doesn't.

Dear Paul, I only said it is the best place to buy important swords at the least money. If you can name any other place where important Nihonto can be picked up cheaper please let us all know as we would sure all benefit from it. Thank you, Herbert

PS: Where is the diplomacy in the above not to say the smallest amount of politeness?

Gentlemen, I do not understand your point. What is bad about important swords at little money? Any collector should praise eBay for offering this rare chance to the whole word. eBay is definately the place where a diamond in the rough can be bought from. Or may I ask you which source you recommend for getting a diamond in the rough for little money other than eBay? Yours, Herbert PS: I do not believe there are treasures to be found on eBay. Infact I am not a man of greta belief but rather prefer to the hard facts that is the treasure which I have unerathed on eBay.

Hello, I have followed the discussion and would like to add my two cents: Important swords can be bought cheapest on eBay! Hence eBay is highly recommended both for the starting and advanced collector. Much can be learned and the hunt for woodwork blades is a great expirience and even more fun and thrill. Good luck to all sword hunters, Herbert