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Best Alternative To Jauce?


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Hi Patrick,

 

My name is Kelly Schmidt, and I run Japanese Antique Auctions from my home in Himeji, Japan.

Many members here are familiar with my service, and, while not necessarily cheaper than the alternatives,

I think it much more convenient and easy to use, and geared toward collectors.

 

If you are on Facebook, you can read more in the "about" section:   https://www.facebook.com/Japanese.antique.auctions/

 

Here is a basic rundown of what I offer:

 

No Other Service Does All This For You!

  • Weekly mail offers!  I search through thousands of items every week and send you the best for your consideration.  Both general and samurai antiques, often 80+ items per week.  Your time is valuable.  So let me do the footwork.  Note that these items are now on Yahoo Auctions by other sellers in Japan. I do not own these items, so I don’t keep expensive stock and don’t have to charge high prices to you! I will bid for you! 
  • Custom searching for your items directly on Yahoo Japan in Japanese, not English.  Can’t find what you are looking for?  Mail me.  I can find much more by using Japanese keywords.
  • Want list.  If I find your item, even months later, you get a mail from me!  I have great long-term relationships with sellers, so I ask them to keep my want list so they offer to me first!
  • HUMAN translations of item descriptions.  PC translators don’t work well….  Know what you are buying.
  • Questions to sellers.  Need more pictures?  Want to know more details?  I’ll ask for you.  I speak fluent Japanese, so I have great relationships with many sellers.
  • Reminders!  Don’t forget to bid!  Sometimes, before making a bid, you just want to watch the situation and carefully consider.  Then, if I haven’t heard from you, I send you a reminder!
  • Strategic bidding. I’m not a machine bidding for you, and YOU don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to try to win! I buy Japanese antiques, in particular samurai, so I can often tell you what to pay for an item.  I know the sellers and many of the other bidders and their tactics.  I can get a better price for you.  You can even bid together with me if you can be online at end time. 
  • Negotiation!  I know many sellers and can sometimes buy direct, off auction, saving you money! They often offer to me before putting on Yahoo or EBay!
  • Safe repacking for overseas transport.  No extra charge.
  • Storage and combining of items (depending on size, nature of item and length of time).
  • Follow up/ trouble shooting when things go wrong (PO problems, etc.)
  • Export of large items like tansu and screens which are over the Japan PO’s size/weight limits.  Ask for a quote before bidding.
  • Export of items bought through other services (Buyee, Jaunce, Shop Japan, etc) who refuse to export your item (eg. swords).  By consultation only.
  • LEGAL export of swords and items over 200,000 yen, which require the Ministry of Culture’s permission!  The automated services block bids on some items, and although you can unblock the bidding, some refuse to do the paperwork – even after you bought the item!  
  • More sword services!  Shinsa submission, polishing, repair work, sword bags, new shirasaya, maintenance kits, etc that you may wish to acquire before your sword leaves Japan.  Many of these services are best done (or can only be done) in Japan.   Want to do it yourself? We offer katana lace, saya wood, various accoutrements and katanabako!
  • Armor restore items!  Kikubyo rivets, agemaki silk bows, silk and cotton odoshi lace, kabuto kan and munekan metal loops, etc.   Need a professional?   http://katchushi.com/restoration-2/index.html
  • Offers of items from local shops and dealers.  Only here!
  • Sales of your items through me!  I have hundreds of customers all over the world who love antiques! Sell direct and avoid the hassle of putting on EBay.

 

Your total cost: auction end price (tax sometimes broken out separately) + local shipping to my office + international shipping + my fee + paypal fee/bank fee.  Local bank transfer fees are on me!  Note: Extra fees apply for export of items over 200,000 yen and swords (see below).

 

My fee: The whole process is quite time consuming (searching for the best items, communications, translations, asking questions to sellers, bidding, packing, paperwork… etc.)  Bidding is, by itself, a major time investment.  Keep in mind that, unlike eBay, Yahoo auctions here in Japan continue past end time until only one bidder is left standing.  There is no sniping. With auctions sometimes continuing an hour or more past end time, this means a lot of work for me but remember, you pay me ONLY if we win!   AND… sometimes I will even use part of my fee to help you win! 

For items you find by self-searching, my fee is 15% of the auction end price (6000yen minimum per item). For items I find for you, or buy direct by negotiation, my fee is 20% of the auction end price (7000yen minimum per item). For items which are exceptionally expensive…. let’s talk. My sincere apologies for the minimum fee per item… but it’s a lot of work… and if I didn’t have a minimum, I would be absolutely swamped!  Haha, already am!

 

Self-searching: Want to save some money? I can teach you how to search.  Just tell me what items you want, and I can give you a convenient link. 

 

 

More questions?   PM me or mail me here:   kschmidt1127@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

 

Kelly Schmidt

Japanese Antique Auctions

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I too have used Kelly on several occasions and can thoroughly recommend his services. One benefit I found was that Kelly was able speak directly to the seller to negotiate the sale of a very nice Daisho Koshirae - that the seller did not want the hassle of selling internationally - whilst also securing a very reasonable price. Kelly was then able to organise the export license, which the seller was not willing to do obviously..  

 

I have also used Kelly for oversize items like Tansu. 

 

Barrie.

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