I'm guilty of having butchered a couple of saddles. One was a Brooks B17 picked up for only $10 in NEW condition because it had a damaged (torn) side skirt on one side (the shop had already recovered its losses through insurance coverage and decided not to just discard the saddle).
The hacking on the eBay saddle [item number 330364403157] is certainly the very worst cutting job I have ever seen perpetrated on any leather.
My guess would be that the deep cuts made near the nose had been intended to help prevent the sides from flaring out/up when a rider's weight was put on the saddle. Unfortunately, I think this would weaken the saddle at one of the most vulnerable points. Worse still, the slices are sheared to sharp corners in a direction which could lead to a future (for lack of a better term) "stress riser" - a rip right across the leather top.
I would reject that saddle even if it was offered to me for FREE!
BOB HANSON, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA