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Optimistic vs Opportunistic


Spartancrest

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Last night I was looking at a few online auctions and came across one with a minimal opening bid, starting at 1 yen. Knowing the object was modern, not that well made but came with a fitted box I thought 'what the hell the box is worth a punt' - no other bids appeared and strangely the auction was not withdrawn, so a 1 yen win and another paperweight to add to my collection. Elsewhere on the same auction site an identical object [I won't dignify it by calling it a tsuba] was listed at a starting bid of 20,000 yen. Call me crazy but are the dealers really serious with what they expect to get for a modern copy? At least I got a nice box to put something better in, the expensive bid had nothing else going for it!

https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1009658715  vs   https://www.jauce.com/auction/v780836906

 

image.thumb.png.b9846ad87a79abbb13306a9f59bd032a.png

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Brian - I believe the postage rate will be a bit high to cover his costs! It has happened before, a 26 yen bid ended up costing nearly forty dollars in 'fees' and shipping and that was way back when shipping was around $12 from Japan to Australia. I will find out if he honors it, if it turns up at the Jauce warehouse. They are expensive shippers but I have always received what I paid for, from them. 

PS. The other one auctions off tonight [Aus time]- but I don't think there will be any takers! :laughing:

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Buyee has a minimum fee of 500 JPY when you win an item. On top of that they grab a few percent more of the price by applying they own exchange rate. Add local shipping to their warehouse, international shipping (to France, in my case), VAT and custom fees and an item bought at the nominal price of 3400 JPY (i.e. about 26 EUR at mid-market rate) ended up costing 71 EUR.

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I have found a reference to the original Tiger guard used as a model for the 1 yen 'paperweight". It seems to be a close rendering of the design, though the reference is only in B&W. The book cover title and the information are all in Japanese - so I have no clue what it says.

Any help would be appreciated.

tiger box paperweight original + text.jpg

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