Gassan Sadakatsu on eBay

[patrick7813]

Gassan Sadakatsu on eBay for $9K (http://www.ebay.com/itm/360958039302?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT) Is this gimei or have swords come down this much?

[rkg]

I guess you pays your money and you takeses your chances. Too bad the poster chose to not upload larger images, so its kind of hard to evaluate the workmanship and the fine points of the mei. I guess you can try and compare it to the various mei in Slough, or I've got an image of mine up:

 

http://www.rkgphotos.com/recent_stuff/t ... site_1.jpg

 

I'm not sure we're supposed to comment on active auctions, so I probably should shut up now.

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Alex A]

Interesting seller, he sure shifts some swords!

[patrick7813]

Oh, I'm not interested in purchasing. Just curious what others thought (and I should have made that more clear). Not to mention, I shouldn't be asking about open auctions either. Perhaps Brian should delete post!

[Uechi]

Checkout all the posts on this weenie. He or she couldn't sell me a glass of water if I was in the middle of a desert and dying of thirst. Did business with this person never, never again. Caveat Emptor!

[Uechi]

Interesting seller, he sure shifts some swords!

 

remove the " f " and you are spot on.

 

JDromm

[patrick7813]

You’ll find the whole gamut of buyer experiences. I’ve purchased from him in the past. Three swords were exactly as described and keepers. Another I returned without issue and received a full refund.

 

I am interested in the validity of the sword listed and nothing related to its purchase. Unfortunately, it seems I've stirred a hornet's nest about the seller. That was certainly not my intent.

[cabowen]

without better photos, it is hard to come to any meaningful conclusions. Knowing the issues others have had with this seller, I wouldn't consider it.

[patrick7813]

A valid point about the photos, Chris. I’ll repeat that I’m not interested in purchasing but rather expanding my knowledge about a blade’s value which seems improbable to determine for this blade based upon what’s in front of us.

[Uechi]

You’ll find the whole gamut of buyer experiences. I’ve purchased from him in the past. Three swords were exactly as described and keepers. Another I returned without issue and received a full refund.

 

I am interested in the validity of the sword listed and nothing related to its purchase. Unfortunately, it seems I've stirred a hornet's nest about the seller. That was certainly not my intent.

 

Good for you. Glad you had a good experiennce. Read the posts. Bought two swords from him ok. Send him/her questions on a third sword and got blocked from bidding. If you see the posts you will see the same has happened before. It is a free country if you are comfortable buying from this seller go for it. Like I said, never, never again.

[patrick7813]

You’ll find the whole gamut of buyer experiences. I’ve purchased from him in the past. Three swords were exactly as described and keepers. Another I returned without issue and received a full refund.

 

I am interested in the validity of the sword listed and nothing related to its purchase. Unfortunately, it seems I've stirred a hornet's nest about the seller. That was certainly not my intent.

 

Good for you. Glad you had a good experiennce. Read the posts. Bought two swords from him ok. Send him/her questions on a third sword and got blocked from bidding. If you see the posts you will see the same has happened before. It is a free country if you are comfortable buying from this seller go for it. Like I said, never, never again.

 

It's been several years since I purchased from him so I have no current experience. FWIW, I did ask questions during the bidding process, got answers and didn't get blocked.

[rkg]

Auction ended, now this piece is back up again at a lower starting price:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351092069516?ss ... 1423.l2648

 

 

rkg

[Brian]

I have no opinion on whether it is shoshin or not. All I can say is that the mei is very nicely cut, as are the yasurime.

But reality, odds and logic all tell me it must be gimei.

Surely one a seller would have sent to (a US) shinsa if it had a chance? If I were buying it, I would have to assume it was gimei. I suspect the winner will be gambling otherwise.

 

Brian

[Alex A]

To go from $9000 buy now to an auction without an hefty reserve does seem a little strange.

[Stephen]

file marks look like they were recently done to me.

[Eric Santucci]

I’ve seen a lot of Sadakatsu blades (own/have owned several). I have no opinion on whether it is shoshin, but I'd like to share some of my observations:

 

1. The mei looks very finely cut, as does the yasurime. This would be typical of a Sadakatsu blade.

2. The Kao has a very long upward stroke on the right, which is atypical of Sadakatsu's mei.

3. It has been noted before that by 1940 there were one or more students making swords for Sadakatsu; therefore for swords signed by students there may be some variation in the mei. (Note: I am not saying this blade is made/signed by student).

4. In my opinion, the quality of the pictures do not give us a good idea of how far along the “older war polish” is in this case.

 

In my experience a non-ayasugi, less-than 27 inch, older war-polish Sadakatsu without mitsumune, shirasaya, gassan-style habaki, and NBTHK papers would likely go for somewhere about the original asking price that was offered.

 

 

@ Stephen: what makes you think the file marks were recently done? (I don't have an opinion either way, just wondering what methodology you used to come to that conclusion). Thanks

[Stephen]

Sorry Eric just a gut feeling.

[Eric Santucci]

Thanks Stephen. Sometimes gut feelings are the best kind.