Ibrahim, even if we assume that unlike the rest of the area around it, from the Sudan through the rest of Arabia to India, which all imported and used European manufactured blades, Oman somehow remained an isolated oasis of local bladesmithing, I still have a major problem. We can agree that many of the markings were applied locally, but why would the RAK need to replicate European makers marks, unless those marks had become popular in Oman and perceived as a proof of quality? And how could Germand and Genoese makers marks become popular, unless such blades had been imported in huge quanitites?
That being said, I admire your quest for finding out more about the Omani kattara. If you have access to local archives from the 19th century, it would be interesting to dig for some info on what was being imported in Muscat during that time, and potentially even some info on the cost of European blank blades as opposed to what the RAK was charging for its production, as I have a strong suspicion that at one point it must have been very difficult for local smiths to compete with the European mass produced import in price (assuming similar quality of the production).
Regards,
Teodor
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