Matsunosuke Auction Fish

[Bob Winkler]

I have the honor of helping announce a Koi auction By Toshio Sakai of Isawa Nishikigoi Center.


ANNOUNCING THE MATSUNOSUKE INTERNET AUCTION SCHEDULE

Our Internet auction will take place May 25 – June 2, 2006. As in the past, Toshio Sakai is again providing 10 high-end two-year-old Matsunosuke Koi for this event. These 10 fish represent a special selection for the Matsunosuke.com members and his long-time supporters and customers. Prices will be significantly lower than market value of these Koi. Opening bids will start around $1000.

Prior to auction these high quality fish will be transported to Niigata in late April to be placed in mud ponds for summer growth. Photographic records for presentation at the auction will be made prior to releasing them into the mud pond. The Koi will be kept and cared for in the mud pond during the summer months until the October harvest. This way they will be especially nurtured for maximum growth and development in their natural habitat. Once harvested in October, we shall post the before-and-after pictures for your review and appreciation of their growth and beauty.

You can elect to join the harvest trip to Japan to claim your Matsunosuke Koi in person. Alternatively, your Matsunosuke may be sent to you directly or through identified shipping and handling agents. Harvest events will be during October 12 - October 25, 2006. We will be posting the details of the Harvest trip events as soon as the detail plans for the trip are finalized.
May 11, 2006 - Registration
May 25 ~ June 2, 2006 - Matsunosuke Internet Auction

I have attached a some pix of a previous auction koi and it's growth. You can see age and size in the photo description

[dinh]

Bob, thanks much for the info.

Just wonder whether KB members have to pay $54 for Matsunosuke.com yearly membership when sign in? I guess we don't have to pay or I am death wrong here..;-))

[Joel b]

Hey Bob,

Aren't you afraid that you'll get scolded for promoting a non advertiser? Where are the koi police when we need them?

Joel b

[MikeM]

Awesome stuff, Bob.


Joel... You raise an interesting point. When a dealer engages in promoting themselves, the commercial aspect is obvious. No doubt, it is also present in regard to breeders. However, hobbyists are always trading information about breeders, their fish, their practices, etc. Breeders and shows are at the very heart of the hobby. There would not be much on the boards of interest to kichi if we eliminated all reference to breeders. And, there is a lot of interest in the auctions in Japan. The Momotaro auctions a couple of years ago garnered a lot of board activity and a great deal of good information was shared. We have had breeders sponsoring this board for some time now, with Momotaro very prominent. Omosako has been a loyal sponsor, and Maurice came on board as well ...in no small part, perhaps, because he did not want to be perceived as taking a free ride with his posts of fry and their progress. I think these breeders' support is wonderful, and a far-sighted move on their part to build the hobby. I wish more would follow suit. However, every breeder cannot sponsor every board... but we need to be able to discuss every breeder whether they are a sponsor or not. And, personally, I'd like to have more breeders posting on the boards sharing their observations. Inherently, such posts are self-promotional, even if kept "purely informative". But, I think I have to live with that to get the benefit of knowledge.

So, why not think of dealers in the same way? You guys are also essential to the hobby and your knowledge (at least as to many of you) is certainly far ahead of all but a few hobbyists. Why do I not have the same sense of the importance of discussing dealers?

...maybe because on the whole dealers teach us to pay attention to the breeders? Don't know.

It is a conundrum with no consistent moral ground that I can see. But, kinda like Tina's lyrics, what's fairness got to with it?

[dcny]

Sort of a moot point. SFF is an advertiser on this site, as is Omosako, Momotaro, and Koi-UK (Maurice).

-Dan

[Russell Peters]

Hey Dan - SFF is not Toshio Sakai of Isawa. Toshio Sakai's business name is Isawa Nishikigoi Center or ISN. SFF is Sakai Fish Farms of Hiroshima.
Toshio Sakai is not a paid advertiser, but having done so much for Koi, I agree with Mike M. Let it go, by the way Toshio Sakai will becoming to the Sacramento Koi Show as head judge.

Russ

[dcny]

Thanks for the clarification Russell.

[dinh]

are they brothers?

[dcny]

I believe they are. I understood that there were two Sakai brothers but for some reason I just assumed Toshio Sakai was SFF because of the fame of each.

I guess my inexperience is showing.

[bekko]

I think this is a fairly blatant advert for a business and commercial web site which is not a KB sponsor. Bob's reputation precedes him so we can be confident that he has no vested interest. However, recall the Chinese guy who was promoting a Chinese koi farm here (please don't make me try to look it up in the archive). My recollection is that the KB community thought that what he was doing was inappropriate and we were not shy about telling him so. It's Brian's call of course, but I fail to see how this case is any different from that of our Chinese friend.

-steve hopkins