De-preciousization was about 1890. Before that, fit for VIPs, capping prestige momuments, etc. After that, rapidly cheaper. Some history at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#History.
I thought this sceptre/spear/thing was cute, but not really my thing. Also, Quarantine here doesn't like the import of animal products like this. At best, they tend to charge for gamma-irradiation of it before you can get it. But that's my problems with it, not yours, so congrats on a cute sceptre/spear/thing!
Here is my favourite Sudanese thing. It's modern (1970s or 1980s iirc), but supposedly made in the traditional style.