Carl

I had been searching for a nice Sanki this year but didnt find what i was looking for as it seemed to me that there was not so many Sanki's available this year, maybe not looking in the right places? This year there seems to be a lot of Koromo and Goshiki. The Sanki i did come across seemed to lack white and where heavy on the Hi or Sumi.

Could it be a case of supply and demand or changes in taste, like fashion?

ogawa only

ive always struggled to find sanke , there one of my favs , oofuchi does some nice ones !!
i suppose it is like fashion , and taste change.

nishikiboy

Hi Carl, the 3 G0 -SANKE Varieties, KOKAKU, SANKE and SHOWA are by far the most popular varieties, hence the prices !
The big 3 are the only ones ever likely to win Grand Champion at a Koi show.
Some breeders only produce these 3 varieties, to get the best return from their water.
Shiro Utsuri are rapidly becoming as popular as the big 3, and the prices are reflecting this, an Omosako one is getting beyond most hobbyists price range.
Unfortunate, because the other common varieties are now becoming quite scarce now.
Asagi, one of the oldest varieties, and the only true blue Koi, and popular with beginners, are now in short supply, Shusui too ( which is the Doitsu version of Asagi, and the only doitsu koi to have it's own name and class )
Doitsu Yamabuki Hariwake are quite scarce too.
Shiro Matsuba are virtually non-existant now !
All this is forcing prices up, KWB now often sell Sakai Hiroshima Shusui for £3000 plus !!!

If you are looking for quality Sanke, look at these websites:
Connoisseur-Koi.......................contact: Geoff Kemp
Select Nishikigoi International... .contact: Deron Simons
Nippon Nishikigoi......................contact: Simon or James
Yume Koi............................... contact: Mike Snaden
Worthing Aquatics..................,,contact: Aaron
Walesby Aquatics....................contact: Nicky Stoddart
Koi Waterlife Centre.................contact: Drew Simons
Koi Waterbarn........but prices of Sakai in my opinion are cuckoo !

I know what you are saying about not enough shiroji (white skin)
the sumi (black ) just keeps coming and coming with a lot of the sanke that most dealers sell,
I have a show class ginrin sanke with loads of white and delicate sumi
a show class aka (red) sanke with delicate sumi
a doitsu sanke with loads of white and light sumi
my other 3 sanke all have beautiful clean heads but too much sumi on the bodies for my taste, (although the local bkks chairman / judge thnks they are ok, although not show class !)

Because of the banking crisis, the exchange rate plumetted whilst the Autumn harvest was underway and dealers bought fewer koi than usual because they were 40 % more £ than they should have been !
Look through the above, I'm sure you will find what you want,
but beware of young sanke, they are likely to end up with too much sumi (black) for your and my taste !
Let us know if you find one !
Peter.

double doitsu

sanke are lovely aaron at worthing aquatics has just got some lovely one in but lovely prices to try having at look there ,he is just open his new stock for veiwing today

ogawa only

i know aaron realy well

double doitsu

what really really well .

koimaster

pmwl that tickled me

ogawa only

no, not like that

nishikiboy

Me think you protest too much !!!!!
Your secret is safe with us .............
Peter

ogawa only

ive got ten word

only , near , bum , thing , my , the , is ,that, goes,bogroll