My take on some online auction sellers... From a little bit of experience.

[oneshot onekill]

I'm a Treasure hunter by nature and because I'm not a financially wealthy man. I'm also a bit of a romantic. I've been buying various things from auction sites since they came about. I'm pretty good at being able to tell when something is good or bad on those sites. That said, I have been combing auction sites for literally years looking for a decent Sword at a decent price. That "Diamond in the Rough" so to speak. First, let me say... DON'T DO THAT!!! You will be disappointed 99 times out of 100 and you don't want to spend that money finding the one Diamond in the rough. It's NOT worth it. That said, I pulled the trigger in recent Months on what looked like a "decent" sword for around $600.00. The sword was nowhere near what the seller described it as or what it looked like in the pictures. He said he bought it at an Estate sale. The Koshirae was obviously not made for this sword and the Tsuba was a modern reproduction. The sword was slightly bent. It looked very wavy on both sides and it had forging flaws that had carbon under them. This seller has multiple swords listed all the time and keeps getting more and more of them all the time. The only thing that makes sense is that he is getting these mostly "junk" swords shipped to him from Japan in bulk and peddling them off for much more than they are worth to us "Naive Americans". No need to mention names because you probably already know who I mean. Once in a while he seems to throw in a good one just to keep the interest levels high. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE realize that if it seems too good to be true, it's probably not true. 

Like almost everyone here will tell you... Do a TON of research first and Expect to be disappointed if you do go the "online auction" route.   

[waljamada]

I took some gambles for sure on eBay.   Threw in a really low offer that got accepted on a tokubetsu hozon blade with an oshigata pic that didn't even show the right sword....turned out amazingly and everything was as said.  Gambled on a seller with almost zero feedback and got one of my favorite swords.   Bought a couple papered swords off a guy i could tell was a collector that I Iove.  I probably just cursed myself by acknowledging this luck.  I would always suggest messaging the sellers before buying, I always did and the vast majority I bought from people that used the correct terms and seemed to know their stuff which I think protected me.  I've now reached a number and quality in my collection that I can slow down and not gamble as much. 

 

In the beginning I feel like gambling is or seems a better option especially when wanting to get a collection on the cheap.  It's either know someone, come across a great blade in real life you can buy cheap, be left/gifted a sword, save/spend more money or gamble....makes it more difficult too that I never find or even see nihonto for sale in real life where I am.  Online is my only way.  Thank god for the Chicago Sword Show too.

 

I totally agree that learning/honing an eye is key to having a chance if you do go online auctions.  Also being open to ages/smiths etc...don't need a Rembrandt as your first sword...I honestly believe starting in guntos is the easiest way to start.  It has everything and the market is pretty stable and has affordable ranges.  You will learn all the terminology and puts mounts into a smaller field to learn but you'll get the basics.  Just makes everything bite sizeable.

[Baba Yaga]

On 5/27/2022 at 8:48 AM, oneshot onekill said:

The only thing that makes sense is that he is getting these mostly "junk" swords shipped to him from Japan in bulk and peddling them off for much more than they are worth to us "Naive Americans". No need to mention names because you probably already know who I mean. Once in a while he seems to throw in a good one just to keep the interest levels high. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE realize that if it seems too good to be true, it's probably not true. 

Like almost everyone here will tell you... Do a TON of research first and Expect to be disappointed if you do go the "online auction" route.   

 

Their used to be a Japanese National who attended the SF sword show way back when. Anyway, he had a pile, and I mean pile of Tsuka-less and poor saya swords for sale. I never really payed much attention to him, but he did have a following of young*bucks.