the item was, most probably, listed as a regional listing - an option for sellers who intend to attract local or same area buyers. some sellers do this because it is free - ebay does not charge sellers fees.
the item does get the usual ebay worldwide visibility, however there are limitations like: the number of pictures a seller can upload; and, absence of the time and date of auction once it ended, among others.
if you do a seller search on the seller(
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...=3&completed=1), this item will be shown as among the items the seller has previously sold. However, if you do a Completed Listings search on the words "19 century swords," this item will not show up.
also, it can be noticed on the seller search option, the item was sold on the day it was listed. probably, the seller and buyer already discussed the trade beforehand but agreed to course it through ebay for security.