Valentino's Collection of Oriental Arms

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Jeff,
LOL!
Eljay is an incredible craftsman, but immortal? I will tell you that he and I met under extraordinary circumstances and years later again, in much the same way. It is truly a much smaller world than we realize.

Thanks B.I. for thinking of the name! It would have driven me nuts I kept thinking of Ronald Coleman or Douglas Fairbanks, or even Basil Rathbone. These swashbucklers were all outstanding swordsmen, especially Rathbone who was a master, and hated having to lose since he was always the villain.

In one of the photos, a sabre that appears to be a kilij, looks like one of those coral covered pieces from the Maghreb.

Thank you for sharing this interesting catalog and discussion, sure brings back lots of earlier memories from California.....wish I would have started collecting earlier, even the 60s was pretty late.

All the best,
Jim

[B.I]

This is the last of the images.