National Treasure Sword on eBay

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

Wow! A generous seller, offering us a national treasure sword for little money:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Samurai-Sword-by-Su ... dZViewItem

 

I wish there were more such kind folks around ...

 

No, to be serious again: This is probably the most disgusting offer on eBay I have seen in a long long time ... Complete bogus with just one purpose: To ripp someone off ... otherwise I would consider it highly funny ...

 

Shame on this seller. Hopefulyl nobody fell victim to this offer and bought it in private.

 

Max

[huntershooter]

I was not aware swords have a sexual preference.

According to this seller "more swords are coming out!".

I guess it is our lucky day.

[Kajihei]

Hi All,

 

Most sellers on eBay hype what they sell, so I don't see this seller as being too out of ordinary. But one thing I don't quite follow. He says: "I would say that this blade is national treasure grade and that is why I will not send it through Shinsa." Why not submit a national treasure grade item for shinsa? NBTHK shinsa is beneath the dignity of such a fine piece?

 

Kaji

[Nobody]

Most sellers on eBay hype what they sell, so I don't see this seller as being too out of ordinary. But one thing I don't quite follow. He says: "I would say that this blade is national treasure grade and that is why I will not send it through Shinsa." Why not submit a national treasure grade item for shinsa? NBTHK shinsa is beneath the dignity of such a fine piece?

Maybe, he wanted to say that if the sword was once identified as worth national treasure, it could not be send back from Japan.

[Brian]

Heck, exaggeration and hyperbole are par for the course on eBay as Kaji said.

At least the item is genuine and actually for sale, and has all the info listed.

 

Brian

[bluboxer]

Perhaps he is intimating that it will not be returned?

 

Alan

[sencho]

He's using Mike Yamaguchi's picture, so he must have bought it through him originally.....

 

I would know that blue carpet anywhere!!! :lol:

 

Cheers!

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

Poor Mike who didn't recognize the National Treasure he once held in his hands ...

[huntershooter]

This same seller left negative feedback for MikeY on a "Fujiwara Hirotaka" Wakizashi:"Kissaki was re-shaped and pictures were @ angles hiding this fact" (Looked ok to me).

If this National Treasure blade becomes available you might want to be aware of this.

[Kajihei]

Not directly related to the current discussion but I thought this may be an interesting bit of information.

 

It is possible to buy and sell a National Treasure sword in Japan. According to Iida Koendo website ( http://www.iidakoendo.com/info/kaitori4.htm ), a national-treasure sword owned by a private party can be sold, but a government permit must first be sought. And the government has the first option on it. If the government issues an intent of non-purchase, then the private sale can proceed. The same applies to those designated as Juyo Bunkazai (Important Cultural Asset).

 

As for exporting a national treasure out of Japan, I have not been able to find a clear answer. A government website shows procedures for obtaining an export permit for exhibitions overseas, assuming eventual return of the item to Japan. They make no mention of a "one-way" export permit, so I assume it is a no no.

 

Another point of curiosiry. How does a sword get the National-Treasure designation? I don't think NBTHK routinely screens sword submitted for shinsa for potential candidates. Or do they? Anyone know?

 

Thanks,

 

Kaji

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

The buyer (are national treasure seller) says:

 

Kissaki was Re- shaped and pictures were at angles hiding this fact.

 

Taking a look at Historian333's pictures I can not see any of this. The Boshi is most healthy, the Kissaki looks like it has never been damaged at any point and over that many close ups is more than you would usually expect with most eBay vernodrs.

 

Sorry but I think this buyer is

[33rdkoto]

This is the owner of the Koto Sukesada. First off I did not buy it from Mike Yamaguchi, second it is exactly the kind of sword the Japanese parliament has authorized to be confiscated under the national treasure and antiquities protection act. As one fellow collector states from personal experience "the Japanese government has become Zealous about confiscating old nihonto for their cultural value". It is a FLAWLESS blade by a swordsmith who has recently come to light as one of the most advanced smiths of the 16th century. There are 4 known in existence with this signature or a variation of it. I have several Koto nihonto and have held hundreds, but to hold and own this sword was a privelage to say the least. To say such a treasure is not worth $10,000 is a dishonor to the maker and the entire tradition. Besides it was bought by a curator during the time it was listed for more than I asked for. So to all you haters out there keep weeding out the crap so I can get the good stuff. Some of you obviously live in the small universe called e-bay and have no idea what you are talking about. And as for the nihonto I bought from Mike Yamaguchi, It does have a re-shaped Kisaki and is noticeable to the S trained eye. You can see the wave in the yokote and a bulge where it terminates at the Ha as if too much were hastily ground off in the effort to re-define theYokote. It would otherwise be a nice blade. I just thought that I would point out that the shinsa looks for just that sort of flaw. The poor "picture polish" required several evenings of careful work to overcome and is resting nicely and will remain that way until I hand it over to my son.

K. Savage

[Guest reinhard]

second it is exactly the kind of sword the Japanese parliament has authorized to be confiscated under the national treasure and antiquities protection act.

 

Tell us more about it. This is going to become entertaining.

 

reinhard

[Kajihei]

it is exactly the kind of sword the Japanese parliament has authorized to be confiscated under the national treasure and antiquities protection act.

 

I found the text of the Bunkazai hogoho~ (Cultural Treasures Preservation Act) which deals with so-called National Treasures. Nowhere does it say anything about the government "confiscating" such an item. If it is privately owned, then the owner has certain obligations, but he is free to sell it, although the government has the first option on buying it. So-called National Treasures include not only objects such as swords, but buildings (temples, shrines, churches), areas of exceptional scenery, and persons holding rare skills and talents. It would be a rather difficult task for a democratic government to "confiscate" them all. I am still not very clear about how an object gets the designation, but from what I can see, one has to really work hard through the paper work, bureaucratic red tape, and series of petitions through various committees to obtain such a designation. There is very little chance of the government noticing and snatching up a sword among tens of thousands floating around in Japan and calling it a National Treasure.

 

Kaji

[Kajihei]

Forgot to add the URL:

 

http://www.houko.com/00/01/S25/214.HTM

[Kajihei]

Hi All,

 

I asked Mike Yamaguchi if he recalled this Sukesada. He did some checking and replied that this was sold in March 2008 on eBay for $909.99 to someone in Colorado. He said he was satisfied with the price, considering that it was a wakizashi and that it had some shortcomings. He agreed to upload the photos again. After seeing them, I can assure the current owner that he has no reason to be concerned about its being confiscated in Japan as potential National Treasure.

 

Kaji

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stephen]

Well done Matsumoto sama,

 

as we like to say Busted!!!

[Brian]

Hmm..

I think we have enough problems with fraud and fakes on eBay without worrying too much about items that are at least genuine Nihonto.

Yeah, the description is to be taken with a huge grain of salt. As are most items on eBay. Most of the Japanese dealers sell flawed and/or excess stock with nice descriptions too. It's a mediocre wakizashi and wouldn't sell at near that price anyways.

However: That being said, I could forgive the hyped up description and the "national treasure" delusion if the seller hadn't tried to pass it off as flawless. It is far from flawless, with a big opening visible in the pics.

So I don't want us jumping on genuine stuff too much out of fairness to active auctions, however the seller did invite criticism with the flawed description and overactive imagination. Fair is fair.

 

Brian

 

Ps - I do think there was a bit of work done to that other kissaki. Maybe to remove a few small chips. Nothing to worry too much about, and not worth a negative. I bet the majority of medium level swords nowdays have had some kissaki work done.

[Guest reinhard]

Gunome pattern coming in pairs on a wakizashi don't remind me of any Kokuho I've ever seen. Doesn't remind me of any SUKESADA either. It doesn't even remind me of blades predating Edo-period.

Whoever will own this blade in the future: He'll never have to worry about confiscation nor envy.

 

reinhard

[Guest Nanshoku-Samurai]

The National Treasure dude is back at it again with more great deals ...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Samurai-Tachi-Sword ... dZViewItem

 

Max

[KRM]

The National Treasure dude is back at it again with more great deals ...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Samurai-Tachi-Sword ... dZViewItem

 

Max

 

Is the edge of the blade actually resting on that granite counter top in that last photo? I don't even do that with my kitchen knives...

Kevin

[Guest nickn]

mr savage

why did you bid on mikes sword surely the photos were good enough for even an expert to make his mind up over the yakote without having it in hand. to me the yokote looks cosmetic and easily moved and the kissaki ubu not reshaped

nick