Here's my take on it, for what it's worth (which isn't much). I think it's important to discuss artifacts from all over, as they pertain to Native American. I always preach about comparative databases and studies and I think this is another case of it. The foreign items (in my mind anyways) do matter because it shows what their cultures and artifacts are like, as compared to ours. For instance, if someone were familiar with Mongolian relics or whatever, they stand a far less chance of getting one pawned off on them as Native American. But if you don't know what they look like, you'll have a much harder time trying to differentiate them. By the same token, if someone becomes familiar with modern reproductions and what to look for, they won't get burnt quite as easily by them.
Neolithic points have flooded the market and are fooling people every day. In all honesty, how many of you think you can tell the difference between most of the Neolithic points and Perdiz, Nodena, Cottonwood, Columbia Plateau? Most people can't, simply because they haven't seen enough of them. I personally love them, for their beauty and educational reasons alike. They are generally very well made and out of gem quality materials. But, I don't think it would be easy to get many by me either (I would wager Joshua is the same way)....I've handled quite a few. I think it's important that people should at least try to familiarize themselves with them if they plan on purchasing many artifacts. Knowledge is the key to everything.
It all comes around, there are ways to tie them in together to where it is all important to us as collectors, whether it be Native American or otherwise. It's also the same reason that I try not to focus on only one timeline, point type, or even region. You can never get the "big picture" if you restrict yourself to a small canvas.
This is only a personal opinion and in no way reflects on any person or post.
GTP
