Vince tipped me off about this signed John Allan baskethilt that is currently up for grabs on ebay !
http://cgi.ebay.com/SCOTTISH-BASKET-HILT-SWOR...dZViewItem

Wish I had the dough, Mac

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I've split these posts off of the "eBay tips" topic because they have evolved from a simple pointer into a full-fledged discussion of the sword in question.

Cheers!

Hi Thomas (and everyone else as well),
I don't know of you remember this, but maybe 5 years ago this sword showed up for the first time on eBay. It was offered by a Belgian dealer who didn't know much about swords. Myself and an SFI member informed him that the sword was an obvious composite, so he withdrew it from eBay. He then asked if I'd be interested in buying it anyway, and we arrived at an agreement (I really only wanted the hilt!). However, two days later he changed his mind and backed out of the deal. The sword disappeared....

Now here it shows up again, cleaned, and with fluting added to the pommel ( the pommel originally had no fluting), and hey, it's even from Belgium!

I guess I shouldn't be too positive about this being the same sword; after all, I'm just looking at photos. But if it's not, then it's the virtual twin to the one from 5 years ago.

--ElJay

Hi Eljay

Thanks for that information, I'd missed this one first time around !
Wish you'd been able to get this one, a signed JAS basket would have been quite the score !
(I'd be curious to know what he'd originally agreed to, pricewise, before backing out on the deal ?)

I'm always suspicious when a seller of something important uses ebay to move it, sets all these pull-out blurbs, than removes it ? Why not just set your reserve at the price you seek and stop playing the greedy-mystery game ?

The fact that they've played with the pommel, if it is the same piece, makes me wonder, too !

Still its fun to see things like this come up !

Thanks, Eljay ! Mac

E.B. Erickson wrote:

Hi Thomas (and everyone else as well), I don't know of you remember this, but maybe 5 years ago this sword showed up for the first time on eBay. It was offered by a Belgian dealer who didn't know much about swords. Myself and an SFI member informed him that the sword was an obvious composite, so he withdrew it from eBay. He then asked if I'd be interested in buying it anyway, and we arrived at an agreement (I really only wanted the hilt!). However, two days later he changed his mind and backed out of the deal. The sword disappeared.... Now here it shows up again, cleaned, and with fluting added to the pommel ( the pommel originally had no fluting), and hey, it's even from Belgium! I guess I shouldn't be too positive about this being the same sword; after all, I'm just looking at photos. But if it's not, then it's the virtual twin to the one from 5 years ago. --ElJay

Hi guys,

This is Todd and I was actually the winning bidder on this sword on ebay. It ended up going for approximately $8100 but ebay removed the listing and all this sellers other auctions before I could purchase the sword. I sent ebay an email to find out what happened and they stated that somebody slipped past ebay security measures and attempted to take over this sellers account. I guess what could've happened is that I would have received the information on a criminals bank account and then I would've done a wire transfer to an account that was not the sellers account. Anyway, he said that ebay has restored his selling rights and he is going to relist it as a but it now at my last bid before I won it for me to repurchase it. One thing is for sure, I don't want to lose this money! Do you guys think that this JAS basket is worth it? Anyway, let me know what you think. :\

Thanks,
Todd

Todd...get in contact with Donnie Shearer and feel him out on the subject of price. He is one of the few I personally know who buys, sells and trades "big boy" basket hilts on a regular basis. I would value his opinion a great deal if I were competing with one on the sale. The fact that, perhaps, Donnie didn't participate would send up a red flag as well. Best....George

I came across this hilt by Allan in Leslie Southwick's The Price Guide to Antique Edged Weapons. Not only does it make we wish that I had been in on the antiques market at the age of four, but it illustrates that baskets by known makers commanded high prices 25 years ago. (See attachment)

Jonathan

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Hi guys,

Thanks for the good advice George. I will contact Donnie Shearer and get his opinion of the sword. I will update you guys as to what he says. Unfortunately, I don't know who the other bidders were as the bidder ids were kept private. Perhaps he already knows about it. I don't know but I will find out. :)

Thanks,
Todd

I should have recognized it from Mazansky. Oh well. I guess I thought it was interesting to see a price estimate for such a fine piece. You were lucky to get to handle it, Mac!

Jonathan

Hi guys,

Well, I did it. I bought it and have had it restored. I had Donnie Shearer rehilt it to an authentic early 18th century Andrea Ferara blade and a newly antiqued pommel. It now looks as it should. Unfortunately, it has all cost quite a bit but in the end I feel that it has all been worth it. In addition, the pommel is a bit large but I feel that this was necessary because the tang was too long for the basket and Donnie didn't want to shorten it. Anyway, I'm pleased with the results. Let me know what you think of it. I'll have more pictures soon. Also, Donnie did believe that it was authentic. He will be doing more research for me this coming May on his trip back to Scotland.

Thanks,
Todd

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Wow! Congratulations, Todd. Please give us more pictures when you get a chance!