ebay seller?

[Stever]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.ca%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D270114715499%26fvi%3D1&item=270114715499&rd=1

 

Can anyone comment on this tsuba and/or the seller? Somehow something just seems a little strange with most of their auctions, to me.

 

How about these papers?

 

 

thanks

[Martin]

Hi Steve,

 

the seller is Christian Fassin, a Frenchman living in Japan.

I bought from him twice and have nothing to complain about. He sometimes mixes up the Paper issuing organization, but his items - at least the ones I bought - are fine.

What do you think seems strange about him?

 

cheers,

Martin

[Bungo]

I have no problem with that seller..................bought from him quite a few times.

 

milt the ronin

[Stever]

Hi Martin,

 

Thanks for the info. It may just be the pictures (or it may just be me), but the patina on the tsuba look a little funny. Too uniform, maybe? Also noticed quite a few papered pieces going for quite low prices, which I found a little odd. I know nothing about tosogu - these auctions just seemed totally out of line with other similar auctions so I wanted to ask what others thought.

 

Thanks

[Bungo]

Hi Martin,

 

Also noticed quite a few papered pieces going for quite low prices, which I found a little odd. I know nothing about tosogu - these auctions just seemed totally out of line with other similar auctions so I wanted to ask what others thought.

 

Thanks

 

not a little odd but more like a general rule.............. one usually does not get the " fair " retail price selling on e-bay ( there are exceptions, of course, like the TWO Iwamoto dragonfly tsuba ). You'd be surprise how many well established dealers buy from e-bay........... I was out sniped by Condell a few times.

Recently I bought a NBTHK papered Shozui iron menuki for a ridiculously low price, shown to a few advanced guys and all like the " junk ".

Granted there are numerous questionable items , if one looks a little closer one can indeed find gems.

Most of the e-bay Japanese sellers buy on Japan Yahoo and then re-sell on e-bay. It doesn't really make sense to bad mouth e-bay and then praise how good Japan Yahoo is............

 

My opinion , of course.

 

milt the ronin

[Stever]

Thanks for the info. I guess it just comes down to the fact that I still can't tell a good tsuba (kozuka, fuchi, etc) from crap yet. :|

 

Not really planning on starting a tsuba collection or anything. Just sort of browsing for a piece to suit a koshirae I'm trying to assemble, and trying to learn at the same time. I think it'll be a while before I try to buy anything.

 

cheers