INTERNET TROLLS AND THE SWORD COLLECTING COMMUNITY

Be aware that trolls really do exist and they are in resident in our sword collecting community!  There are individuals out there who gain enormous pleasure from writing completely false and libellous comments in blogs and forums about those who both collect and sell antique swords.  They are called internet trolls and usually suffer from various forms of mental illness and deep self-loathing.  Feel sorry for them and their multiple personality problems but don't believe what they write!  If you read anything in a blog that attacks an individual, look at the kind of language used - invariably it takes on a ranting tone and includes lots of personal attacks and lies - interestingly, it usually concerns the personal appearance of the victim which probably indicates an physical inferiority complex by the internet troll himself (or herself of course!).  Normally their blog not only attacks an individual, but a whole group of people, organisations or companies, who they have decided (in their own twisted view of the world) should be relentlessly attacked from the comfort (and safety) of their computer many hundreds, if not thousands of miles away.  How cowardly is that?  If you read garbage from any individual on the internet purporting to be an expert on antique swords and using multiple blogs and bogus forums (peopled by himself using aliases) to attack both me and other persons, I suggest you take whatever is said with a very large pinch of salt and just carefully read the rantings and make your own mind up!

I have been told that the troll below is pretty representative of what these subterranean folk look like.  Do you know anyone who looks like this...?

IMITATION IS SUPPOSED TO THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY - OR IS IT IN CHINA?

It appears that a Chinese-American gentleman(sic) by the name of Zhao Aiguo (resident in Philadelphia) has completely copied  my book, World Swords 1600-1945 An Illustrated Price Guide for Collectors and published it under his own name!

Please be aware Mr Aiguo that your complete disregard for my ownership of the copyright for this book will be spread far and wide on the internet.  For any of you who are interested in seeing who this person is, see below at these book shots that he is using to advertise the book for sale. Amazing!

The web site where these page shots were placed is http://bbs.sssc.cn/viewthread.php?tid=1061789&extra=page%3D2&page=10

I checked back today and they appear to have disappeared - maybe Mr Zhao Aiguo has got the message but he has still stolen my book in its entirety and I will be checking the internet very carefully for any of his illegal activities.