Thanks, Jim. We agree. Many attractive ethnographic arms worthy of collecting continue to be made to satisfy the collector market when they may be declining as cultural expressions in their native context. The Omani Jambiya and the Sudanese Kaskara are just two examples, maybe Indian arms as well. Is an Omani Jambiya bought in a shop by a traveler in an Omani suq any less "authentic" than the same collected in a remote village, a salon in London or one delivered by Amazon Prime. Of course the quality of workmanship, "new" vs. "old" should be paired with provenance and chain of custody to play a critical part in defining high-end collector value.
Also, many collectors and "appreciators" of fine ethnographic weapons are likely attracted by the artistic quality of the item. For the jambiya it's the scabbard and belt. The swords of Moroland variability of form is in the blade shape. We often go for the bling added by silversmiths and other artists after the functional quality of a weapon has been established. The same holds for the weapons original owner who had the piece embellished to satisfy ego and/or establish prestige. New or old, used or fresh from the craft shop, I believe that it's the quality of the art as we see it that largely defines our attraction.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Ed
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