Hello! I am a collector of Netsuke. I have had a problem in the past when I won an item. When it was sent, I did not receive the one that I had studied in the pictures that were displayed at auction. I realize now that there are many carvings of the same thing. The vendor out of the kindness of her heart is sending on a replacement also because the top part of the arm had been glued due to a small break at the shoulder. It will still not be the one that I initially saw in the pictures I had studied. The price I paid, wasn't very much. However, based on principle, I very much wanted to receive the item I had viewed in the pictures from the auction. I am now finding this in general when looking for items from Asia, China, if you will. Most of the venders are honest in their replies when I enquire about the items I am interested in. They pick from lots when filling orders. So the item you may be interested in and bid on most likely will not be the item represented from the photos in the auction. This I feel is an extreme and severe misrepresentation of the items being offered..... So, buyer beware. If enough of us question this practice, maybe something will be done.