Huge auction in Australia with more than 100 blades

[Promo]

Seems there is a giant collection of Arms for sale in Australia, I gathered the link originally from a firearms forum where it was discussed since there were hundreds of firearms for sale from this collection. The guy seems to have had everything, including tanks, mortars and machine guns! Unfortunately I was a bit too late with the firearms auctions all over, but noticed there was a separate auction (well, due to the amount everything was split into 15 separate auctions with 100-600 items per auction) for blades - and the one for the blades got postponed, hence still two days left for bidding.

 

They are poorly described and poorly taken pictures of, so nothing for unexperienced persons like I am. But maybe some in here might find something that attracts them, hence just look yourself at it here: https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/AuctionLots.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&pgn=1&pgs=100

 

I did the opposite, for being close to the end of the auction I checked which items already got high bids upon. There is a single blade in that already got massive bids on it (and from a quick check it seems one of very few/only one that actually got the signature translated) which is said to be signed "TSUDA ECHIZEN NO KAMI SUKE HIRO" and dated to 1681. It is this one here: https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329832

 

Another blade with higher bids (AU$ 5200) is this one here: https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329774

.. and this one at AU$ 5700: https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329841

.. and this one at AU$ 5228: https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329804

 

Would love to see which items you in here might like/enjoy, or what you think of the four that I had pointed out!

[Jussi Ekholm]

For the 3rd one you linked I think the signature would be - 大和大掾藤原正則 - Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Masanori

 

I think the 2nd one could be signed - 国光作 - Kunimitsu saku

[Brian]

You guys must be starved for swords, prices are really high for an online auction. Not saying they aren't fair bids...but it's unusual for everything to be so high. Some nice pieces.

[Sansei]

The general officer's "TSUDA ECHIZEN NO KAMI SUKE HIRO" and dated to 1681. Currently bid at around 15k USD. looks like a nice piece to me. Might be a good addition to someone's collection. Needs better closeup photos like you say.

[Sansei]

Brian, you are probably right, the prices are high. But, have you checked to price of real estate and other collectibles lately? Worldwide inflation.

[Promo]

  On 2/23/2022 at 5:01 PM, Brian said:

You guys must be starved for swords, prices are really high for an online auction.

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Not my home country, so don't blame me

[Ray Singer]

Hopefully buyers here are looking carefully to sidestep any fakes.

https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329926&pgn=2&pgs=100

[Brian]

Looks like they are at least ethical....or their expert working through them advised them correctly...
 

  Quote

JAPANESE WORLD WAR II ARMY OFFICERS SWORD COPY
Blade Has Grain Looking Finish, Blade Is Reasonably Well Made, Tang Is Signed Also Has Kiku Mon, This Sword Along With The Fittings Although Very Well Made Is A Chinese Made Copy, Would Suit Display But Not World War II Made

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[Ray Singer]

True, this one is described honestly. No criticism to the auction house.

[Promo]

@Ray Singer would be keen to hear what you think on the other blades!

[Ray Singer]

I will send you some thoughts via DM.

[Gakusee]

Worthwhile for people to look carefully. Various potentially interesting blades signed Bizen…, Bitchu…., Hizen,… Sukehiro….The general’s Sukehiro mei should be compared to the books carefully as it is the most famous / most expensive mei type 

[WillFalstaff]

Why do I, being new to nihonto, feel like Gandalf when Frodo offered The One Ring to him, as I look through the listings? 

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Will, until you have considerable experience, please deal with sellers you can trust -- i.e., here on NMB.

[Lareon]

These are very expensive in general, some really nice but a few Chinese copies to avoid

[Bruce Pennington]

Ok, that site is just torture.  So many don't show nakago.  One is an RS with double lock buttons, so most likely a star-stamped RJT gendaito, but the photos of the nakago are so poor, you can't read the mei or see details, like a star!  ARG!

[Stephen]

Bruce your a better man than i....i didn't get past first sword.

[Gakusee]

Yes, the photos are horrible. The descriptions need a lot of improvement. Interestingly, a lot of older swords in Kyugunto and gunto koshirae (which might explain the high values some people above are referring to). 

[WillFalstaff]

  On 2/24/2022 at 7:00 AM, Ken-Hawaii said:

Will, until you have considerable experience, please deal with sellers you can trust -- i.e., here on NMB.

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 Oh, fear not, for I am strong in constitution! I’d rather save for a papered nihonto. I don’t care enough for WWII blades, though I am learning how to spot fakes in case I come up on them around here (meaning Texas). 

[vajo]

The condition of these swords is terrible. Many of them have humiditiy storing damage like verdigris and red rust, rotted saya and ito. Maybe they were stored in a tomb? 

[lonely panet]

everything listed is in bad shape, with poor photos and evan worse desciptions. 

 

i was going to look on behalf of a buyer but evan inspections are on request and you must pay for the right.

veiwing times are so short its not worth  time. 3 mins per item 

[Tanegashima]

  On 2/23/2022 at 5:03 PM, Sansei said:

The general officer's "TSUDA ECHIZEN NO KAMI SUKE HIRO" and dated to 1681. Currently bid at around 15k USD. looks like a nice piece to me. Might be a good addition to someone's collection. Needs better closeup photos like you say.

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Its a fake, I owned that sword. And the provenance is not stated, because that's what attracted me in the begining.

[WillFalstaff]

  On 2/25/2022 at 9:19 AM, Tanegashima said:

Its a fake, I owned that sword. And the provenance is not stated, because that's what attracted me in the begining.

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 Ouch! Someone's going to be sorry after purchasing and then researching.    

 

https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=29125&lid=3329832&pgn=1&pgs=100

[Brian]

By fake, you mean gimei....not a fake sword, right?

[Tanegashima]

Yes Gimei. 

Its buyer beware and do your homework about all aspects of what you buy. 

Edited February 26, 2022 by Tanegashima
Revised content.

[roger dundas]

Hope you experienced sword people don't mind a comment from the less informed- but what a shame and an embarrassment to see the condition (if you can ?) of these great historic artifacts.

Unforgivable really.

Roger j

[Promo]

Apparently the guy wrote in his last will that one of the blades shall be sent back to Japan for being a kind of "national treasure". Since I can only read it myself with Google Translator I thought it would be better to share the link to it, for others to see/read themselves: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5f0b23ec4e499c7cf7f62ab17c784c1dfa41e2dc

 

This auction company is very unusual by not displaying the result. The last bid I saw on the Tsuda Echizen no Kami Sukehiro was AUD 32,000. Plus 16,5% BP this adds up to 37.280. This equals € 23.894, $ 26.938 or 20.091 Pound.

[Bazza]

  On 2/26/2022 at 5:47 PM, Promo said:

Apparently the guy wrote in his last will that one of the blades shall be sent back to Japan for being a kind of "national treasure". Since I can only read it myself with Google Translator I thought it would be better to share the link to it, for others to see/read themselves: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5f0b23ec4e499c7cf7f62ab17c784c1dfa41e2dc

 

This auction company is very unusual by not displaying the result. The last bid I saw on the Tsuda Echizen no Kami Sukehiro was AUD 32,000. Plus 16,5% BP this adds up to 37.280. This equals € 23.894, $ 26.938 or 20.091 Pound.

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Georg,

Two completely different news items.  The first has nothing at all to do with the auction.  Its about the lost National Treasure sword NORISHIGE found in Australia and written up here on the Board.  See in the articles section "The Lost Norishige" by Ian Brooks.

BaZZa.

[robinalexander]

I tuned in to the auction last night and was soooo surprised at the high prices for many items.  However there were many nice pieces.

 

The prices paid for 95's were embarrassingly high particularly when you include commission and possibly postage. Interestingly, the coppers were probably more down to earth than the later types. 

 

If anyone is interested, I have recorded about 90% of the sold prices so if you need to know, just ask on the forum or by PM if you wish and I will be happy to advise of sold price for any particular Lot recorded  (it was public info last night so it should be public info today )

 

  On 2/26/2022 at 5:47 PM, Promo said:

This auction company is very unusual by not displaying the result.

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Rob

[PNSSHOGUN]

Inexplicably two bog standard showato sold for over 7000AUD.