Mike is the exception to the rule. Every sword I have purchased from him has been papered.
There are not many like him.
Jim

Some more info on the collective dealers :

The Antique trading and shopping centre :

User ID Effective Date End Date
japanese-antiques-trading-and-shopping-center Apr-14-10 Present
japanese-heart-soul-and-beauty Sep-03-09 Apr-14-10
kokoro-bi-999 Jul-24-07 Sep-03-09
kokorobi99 Feb-10-07 Jul-24-07

Japonisme Arts :

japonisme-arts Jun-17-08 Present

Japan premium trade seller trading assistant :

User ID Effective Date End Date
japan-premium-seller-trading-assistant Sep-03-09 Present
aucfantista Sep-18-08 Sep-03-09
japon_is_me Jul-30-06 Sep-18-08

It is safe to say that these are one and the same person or persons.

Now you can make up your own minds.

[bump]

New info posted.

KM

Ok..so how can you make that call? Because one date is the same?
Secondly, it has already been mentioned that a buyer will either receive his item (over paid, but received) or his money back.

Brian

Brian, I make this call because of :

A: Multiple listings under different names for the same item for different prices.
(which should not be condoned by ebay but you cant report it since you can only report the same item being listed multiple times by the same seller....)

B: Negative feedback calculating.

C: The same name in at least two cases.

D: Regular and multiple changes of seller names in the past. That normally has a reason, mostly negative feedback related.

I have been on Ebay for about 8 years, and have been defrauded of my money on it two times in the beginning years, with a Samurai helmet as well as a USAAF WWII flak helmet.

I have learned to read the signs very well due to a few negative experiences on Ebay. That means in general I only deal with US, UK, some European and some Japanese and Australian based sellers. I avoid Chinese sellers mostly, as do I avoid Eastern European, African and Middle Eastern sellers. I check emails I get from sellers using IP and WHOIS checking. That has saved me before when dealing with a Romanian fraudster. I report to the IC3 whenever I come across fraudulent behaviour online.

KM