Bryce Posted October 31 Report Posted October 31 G'day Guys, Am I missing something here or are these estimates a little optimistic? This blade by Gassan Sadakatsu is a little longer than average, but isn't anything special, unless the Inoue Shiro family are especially famous? Also they have described the hada as ayasugi, when it is clearly masame, as backed up by the Tanobe sayagaki. A katana | Signed Osaka ju Gassan Sadakatsu kinsaku (respectfully made by Gassan Sadakatsu, a resident of Osaka) and kao [cursive monogram] | Taisho period, dated Taisho hachinen juichigatsu kichijutsu, Omi no kuni Inoue Shiro ke judai no tame (an auspicious day in November 1919, for the successive generations of the Inoue Shiro family from Omi Province) | Art of Japan | 2024 | Sotheby's Cheers, Bryce Quote
Lewis B Posted October 31 Report Posted October 31 Most of the swords seem to have optimistic estimates. I don't know how anyone can spend those figures based on the very poor photos. Quote
Geraint Posted November 1 Report Posted November 1 Perhaps they have changed the entry but it is now described as masame. On the face of it this does seem like a lot of money, not forgetting the additional charges payable should you succeed in buying it. Be interesting to see what happens. All the best. Quote
Matsunoki Posted November 1 Report Posted November 1 Sothebys are not that “hot” on Japanese and their estimates are usually ridiculously high. I suspect not much of anything in this sale will sell unless their marketing machine is in full swing behind the scenes. Let’s see. 2 Quote
Lewis B Posted November 1 Report Posted November 1 The starting bids are going to kill most interest IMO. Quote
Bryce Posted November 2 Author Report Posted November 2 Quote Perhaps they have changed the entry but it is now described as masame. Yeah, they have changed the description to masame. Someone must have pointed it out. Maybe they follow the NMB? Cheers, Bryce 1 Quote
Gakusee Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 17 hours ago, Lewis B said: The starting bids are going to kill most interest IMO. They are not targeting the average NMB budget hunters….. While some of the prices are indeed optimistic, others are OK. Of course one needs to be mindful of the reserve, which usually starts lower than the bottom end of the estimate range. Quote
Curran Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 22 hours ago, Matsunoki said: Sothebys are not that “hot” on Japanese and their estimates are usually ridiculously high. I suspect not much of anything in this sale will sell unless their marketing machine is in full swing behind the scenes. Let’s see. This was my experience in the past. After the disaster of a Sept 20-22 ish sale in NYC right after 9/11, where they'd had some sort of guaranteed minimum price with the consignor.... they quit doing Japanese for quite a while. I forget who bought out Sothebys the other year. Quote
Matsunoki Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 22 minutes ago, Curran said: I forget who bought out Sothebys the other year. Businessman Patrick Drahi bought them in 2019 which took them back into private ownership. A while ago a Middle Eastern venture capitalist outfit injected a load of money. Over the years Sothebys has fallen foul of its own ambitions and made some poor expansions and acquisitions…..losing their way a bit. I think the new guy has pruned a lot of the top heavy management structure and such a small market as “Japanese Art” counts for little within their priorities. They need to decide if they are auctioneers, dealers, or what the hell…..and consolidate their core business when they decide what it is…….imo! It will be interesting to see if their “personal shopper to the mega rich” machine can save this sale. Frankly I’m surprised they can even be bothered to hold a sale like this. 1 Quote
Samurai Art Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 1 hour ago, Matsunoki said: Businessman Patrick Drahi bought them in 2019 which took them back into private ownership. A while ago a Middle Eastern venture capitalist outfit injected a load of money. Over the years Sothebys has fallen foul of its own ambitions and made some poor expansions and acquisitions…..losing their way a bit. I think the new guy has pruned a lot of the top heavy management structure and such a small market as “Japanese Art” counts for little within their priorities. They need to decide if they are auctioneers, dealers, or what the hell…..and consolidate their core business when they decide what it is…….imo! It will be interesting to see if their “personal shopper to the mega rich” machine can save this sale. Frankly I’m surprised they can even be bothered to hold a sale like this. Maybe because the department head is the chairman of Asian Art in London, as are some of their staff directors. They hold a very nice party at the V&A. Quote
Matsunoki Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 1 hour ago, Samurai Art said: They hold a very nice party at the V&A. Haven’t had my invite yet🙂……won’t get one now if they read what I’ve just said above. It’s difficult for the Dept Heads of small fringe markets to get any sort of serious corporate support when competing against Fine Art, Modern and Contemporary Art etc where the sale of one minor picture makes multiples of a whole Japanese sale. Still, they are giving it a go via the timed auction route thus keeping overheads down. It will be difficult for them to regain the Japanese scene given they let Bonhams just take it from them years ago……not that Bonhams are much better! Interesting to see if they publish the results. Quote
Lewis B Posted November 2 Report Posted November 2 I'm looking forward to the annual Christies Japan Art auction next Spring. Quote
Bryce Posted November 2 Author Report Posted November 2 G'day Guys, I see they have dropped the opening bid for the Sadakatsu down to 16,000. Bargain. I also noticed they have the hada description for Lot 58 the Norikatsu, as "pronounced flowing itame", when it is actually masame again. Let's see if the description changes this time? Cheers, Bryce Quote
Bryce Posted November 3 Author Report Posted November 3 G'day Guys, The description for the Norikatsu has now been changed to masame hada. Cheers, Bryce 1 Quote
Gakusee Posted November 5 Report Posted November 5 On 11/3/2024 at 8:46 AM, Bryce said: G'day Guys, I see they have dropped the opening bid for the Sadakatsu down to 16,000. Bargain. I also noticed they have the hada description for Lot 58 the Norikatsu, as "pronounced flowing itame", when it is actually masame again. Let's see if the description changes this time? Cheers, Bryce I think they have dropped down the prices or at least indicated the reserves with more sensible “opening bids”. Quote
Bryce Posted November 5 Author Report Posted November 5 Looks like most of the blades didn't sell. Cheers, Bryce Quote
lonely panet Posted November 6 Report Posted November 6 Theres always a rich idiot out there. Remember a rolls is just a impulse buy at a yacht show To quote a fat english economist Quote
Bob M. Posted November 6 Report Posted November 6 I understand that Sothebys now impose a minimum lot value of £5000 on Japanese Art. Anything coming in at under that figure is sold through Olympia Auctions which was set up by an ex Sothebys associate. Quote
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