Adverse Selection

[Prewar70]

Curious if anyone else thinks about this.  We are all collectors and dealers in a sense, upgrading our collections and moving along pieces.  There is so much nuance with Nihonto.  So now I find myself wondering more and more, where is the flaw, what am I missing?  If Masamune swords rarely come up for sale to the public, why is this one being offered?  There has to be a great many swords that exchange hands in private collections.  And over time the best of the best is in a collection that might only see the light of day at an estate sale or Bonhams auction.  Anyways, it's a rabbit hole for me and interesting to think about but maybe also a bit depressing.

[klee]

The best of the best are already in private collections or museums.

 

And the low/mid/high end pieces will continue to circle around as people make room for new purchases or change in taste and many more reasons.

 

That Masamune ,as interesting as it may be to see one , is in a very sorry state on many levels so it s no wonder it would come on the market.

 

There is however a magnificent Go Yoshihiro connected to the Date family for close to that same price . That one will eventually be locked in a private collection im sure 

[Prewar70]

Very true.  Any thoughts as to why the GO Yoshihiro is in Japan and not Juyo?  Safe to assume it's been submitted before?

 

[klee]

I think thats been touched upon on the original thread i started on that sword a while back. But there really isnt anything to be gained by that sword obtaining juyo 

[Prewar70]

I will find that thread.  Thx

 

[GreyVR]

When a collector dies, his collection hit the open market. It goes to the auction houses first, then to the dealers (if a collector doesn't snag it then,) and then to a collector again.... who will someday die, and the process repeats with the possible speedbump of an heir who loves the collection and keeps it. 

Some go to museums and leave the market for the foreseeable future, though occasionally these items do leave the museum collection... that is usually rare. Some will be given to museums by the heirs, and this can be an error as museums (big ones) have massive collections and limited display space. Half their purpose is opening the private collection to serious scholars while displaying a general collection to the public. Often it is better for the collection to hit the market so it may enter the hands of those who treasure it instead of a small drawer in a museum's backroom. 

I have asked a friend to ensure that my collection goes to those who will appreciate it when I die, and I intend to update my will to that effect soon. I fear that countless priceless treasures are in landfills because someone was rich enough not to care and needed to 'clean out the old junk.' 

But no, I would not assume a piece is automatically bad because it is up for sale. I would assume there has been a death, and remember for whom the bell tolls.