Hello,
Thanks Jim and Ibrahiim for posting some top quality examples.
It seems that this thread is at its end and therefore, I thank everybody who paticipated and summarize what I have learned from and because of it.
- Koummyas originated around the early 19th century. There are several "classical", more or less well defined types described in the literature
- There are also mixed styles and later developments that makes the identification more difficult, like the one in the last picture, which is a mix of the "Queue de Paon" and Chapeau de Gendarme" types. The are also lower quality, but authentic "village" types and "modern" production pieces with both original and fantasy motives
- The better Koummyas demonstrate Morocco's fine and characteristic tradition of silver decoration and crafts in general
- The more I read what you wrote and the more Koummyas I looked up because of this thread, the more I valued the one I have and therefore I decided to keep it. Eytan
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