Auction I found

[MHC]

Hello all,

 

Not sure if adding a link is ok on this forum, so delete this post if I'm off base here, no worries.

 

I found an auction that is going to happen in Texas on the 29th of august. There is a link noted below.

 

I looked at most of the swords, but since I'm a rank amateur here, I wanted others opinions. What I looked at, by and large seemed mostly "off", some looked maybe ok-ish, but the warning hairs stood up on the back of my neck for the most part.

 

sofedesignauctions.com

 

Mark

[Ken-Hawaii]

It's not functioning as a link, Mark, but the site update is so new, I don't know why. Interestingly, I can't even right-click & copy it.

 

The problem with these auctions is that they seldom have good-enough photos to make an educated decision on buying. THere's also a buyer's premium (20% in this case), plus shipping that usually isn't expert on swords.

 

So, participate at your own risk.

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

Try this one.  https://bid.sofedesignauctions.com/auctions/4-PDUT1/summer-Japanese-islamic-european-arms-and-armor-sale  At first glance it look interesting.

All the best.

[PNSSHOGUN]

There are two giant No-Dachi listed, very rare and exciting!

 

https://bid.sofedesignauctions.com/lots/view/4-PDYBI/magnificent-giant-Japanese-temple-sword-with-samurai-o-dachi-shinto-blade-42-12-nagasa-wow-

 

https://bid.sofedesignauctions.com/lots/view/4-PDY8W/spectacular-Japanese-samurai-no-dachi-sword-by-kanemitsu-saku-35-12-nagasa

[mtexter]

To my fellow amateur eyes, a lot of this stuff looks very legitimate and interesting. Edit: Also quite a lot of questionable / unknown / possibly fake or beyond repair items.  Curious if this was a longtime private collector who recently died, and his family is just liquidating assets?  Definitely seems like there's a little bit of everything.  
I wonder if one can bid online...  Starting prices for some of the pieces seem insanely high to me, but I'm also very new to this.  Thanks for sharing!

[MHC]

What I saw in the pictures were a whole bunch of what appears to be Franken-swords, all mix-n-match Fuchi, Kashira, Tsuba, Seppa. Some blades look old and promising while others looked questionable, some with tired Koshirae with blade condition that does not match, or nicer Koshirae with very poor condition blades. Some of the Tsuba's look amateurish as well, plus weird shaped Nakago's on others with poorly chiseled Mie's.

 

Just a lot that looked off to me...but probably just my lack of knowledge and poor pictures to gage from???

 

Mark

[Jussi Ekholm]

Number 16 is actually Chinese made production sword, Cold Steel O-Tanto. The reason why the tang is "overpolished" is due to it being made c. within the last 10 years and Cold Steel using a stamping method as they put a serial number of the item on the tang. The stamp has been filed off on this...

[Katsujinken]

  On 8/6/2020 at 3:56 PM, Jussi Ekholm said:

Number 16 is actually Chinese made production sword, Cold Steel O-Tanto. The reason why the tang is "overpolished" is due to it being made c. within the last 10 years and Cold Steel using a stamping method as they put a serial number of the item on the tang. The stamp has been filed off on this...

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I can't even... For the love of god people, just buy from a real dealer or another collector on this board. Auctions for nihonto are almost universally terrible and rife with scammy crap like this.

[mtexter]

  On 8/6/2020 at 9:35 AM, PNSSHOGUN said:

There are two giant No-Dachi listed, very rare and exciting!

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Those are incredible!  They'd be the centerpieces of someone's collection.  Unfortunately WAY out of my price range.

Other thoughts about this auction in general, any time I see "incredible" "rare" "exceptional" or other adjectives leading off a listing, it gets my hackles up and I'm instantly suspicious.  Looks like there might be a few good pieces but, as an amateur in this field, I'm gonna pass entirely.  I'm not good enough to spot an un-obvious fake in person, much less from a handful of pictures.

[DTM72]

There are some very interesting items in there, BUT!!!, keep in mind the 25% buyers premium added on to your final bid price. Then you must arrange shipping on top of that...on an item with just a few generic pics.

[Tom Darling]

  On 8/6/2020 at 3:20 PM, MHC said:

What I saw in the pictures were a whole bunch of what appears to be Franken-swords, all mix-n-match Fuchi, Kashira, Tsuba, Seppa. Some blades look old and promising while others looked questionable, some with tired Koshirae with blade condition that does not match, or nicer Koshirae with very poor condition blades. Some of the Tsuba's look amateurish as well, plus weird shaped Nakago's on others with poorly chiseled Mie's.

 

Just a lot that looked off to me...but probably just my lack of knowledge and poor pictures to gage from???

 

Mark

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There is nothing wrong with your eyes.

 

Tom D.

[Surfson]

Did anybody buy anything from this auction?  They had a very large number of blades.

[MHC]

The more times I went back and looked at everything that was available, the less I saw anything worth the guess work and gamble.

 

One odd note, I saw 1 Katana in Shirasaya that was in rough shape, but looked promising, but by the third time I looked at the site....it had been removed from the auction....hummm.

 

Mark