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Bargain or Buyer beware?


Spartancrest

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I have discovered two sites that are offering tsuba and related pieces at frankly impossible to believe prices.

https://www.hispidair.top/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=34_186&page=1   Which has a wide variety of pieces both antique and more modern.

The third item listed is a Nanako-ji shakudo guard with a single gold chrysanthemum flower. 

https://www.hispidair.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_186&products_id=29082 - selling for $40 knocked down from $490 . . . .  Now that is a bargain, or is it?  Likewise this site https://www.phasiaon.top/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=advanced_search_result&keyword=tsuba&inc_subcat=0&page=1

which from the top tab address has the same logo and layout, yet listed under a different business name.image.png.b095b2479cbcd9366567241c0a092b15.png image.png.ded18cc1623969a28aaf7982f10296b9.png They are selling a lot of ebay items - how they can offer them at a tenth the price is very suspect.


I recently 'purchased' a hard to get Japanese book from a similar type of site for a bargain price - despite several communications asking why there was a delay in shipping I was told not to worry, it was because of covid delays - be patient. However after several months it was a no show. Getting my money back was a nightmare - the company evaporated into the ether and Paypal were reluctant to reimburse me because the time period for complaint had lapsed - all part of the bogus company's business plan. Sell anything at cheaper than normal prices, then get out and change their business name and do it all again. No product, all profit and they can't be tracked down.

https://www.xnlmqiavscz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=567341 is an example from another site, modern but at least a third the price of comparable pieces. 

Anyone interested in purchasing the $40 shakudo on spec? If you do I will double your money if you can send it to me! 

But honestly it's a gamble I am not prepared to take anymore.

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Yeah, you can tell these guys are outright fraudsters as no 2 pics are taken in the same way or with the same background.
They rely on a large percentage of buyers just not bothering to file chargebacks. Sad, and I bet they catch a huge number of people. Domains are all registered in China with domain privacy.
 

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Good thing I read all the way of what Brian had to say.

I was just about to click buy on something cheap enough to risk.

It'a a shame about so many scammers taking advantage of this hobby.

They have a tsuba with an unknown signature on there for about $30 that was knocked off from $200 that's worth almost a grand if legit.

Darn....when it's too good to be true...it usually is ....unless you're holding the item for sale in your hands  and you have one of those fluke days.

Had one last year....asked the guy if the tachi had a signature and he checked and said no.

A bring back from an American soldier that moved to Canada and started a family.

Sure enough the $350 CAN sword had a single kanji signature from the late 1300's.

Looked like it was sitting in the bottom of a lake till now though but showed promise for restoration.

None the less another I regret letting go to pursue others. 

Thanks for the heads up fellow ronin

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