Fantastic bit of detective work, Everhard.
Your discovery led me to wonder why Vicky Heunis hadn't listed J.T. Bain in her section devoted to known artists at Diyatalawa. The answer, it seems, lies in the fact that Vicky records Bain as a dealer rather than a craftsman. She goes on to describe how he educated the men to produce better quality work by offereing them higher prices if they refined their output.
To recognise the difference between good and mediocre workmanship, I imagine Bain must have been a craftsman himself. What is not entirely clear is whether the "J.T.B." on the paper knives is a maker’s mark or a retailer’s mark.
Krygsgevangenekuns in die Anglo-Boereoorlog was only published in Afrikaans:
pp. 136-137
Op Ceylon het handelaars handwerk opgekoop om daarin handel te dryf en 'n kompeterende mark te probeer skep. Een van die opkopers was J.T Bain, wat met sy internasionale kontakte krygsgevangenehandwerk oral heen kon stuur en dit teen 'n goeie wins aan simpatiseerders kon verkoop. Hy het dan ook in De Krijgsgevangene van Ceylon sowel as De Strever geadverteer dat enige balling of besoeker aan die kamp wat in krygsgevangenekuns belangstel, hom in hut 28 moes besoek of aan hom skryf. Nadat die nuus van vrede die ballinge bereik het, het Bain op 5 Junie 1902 in De Krijgsgevangene van Ceylon 'n versoek gerig dat alle gelde wat aan hom verskuldig is, so spoedig moontlik betaal moes word.
p. 65
Die verbetering was grootliks te danke aan kompetisie vanweë kopers wat in krygsgevangenekuns handel gedryf het. So het J.T. Bain, wat in die Diyatalawa-kamp was, die bannelinge se werk krities beoordeel en in 'n sekere mate ook opvoedend opgetree. Bain het foute in die bewerking van die krygsgevangenekuns uitgewys en beter pryse beloof as dié foute vermy kon word. Bannelinge het so 'n bietjie selfkritiek aangeleer en die neiging afgeleer om alte gou met hul eie werk tevrede te wees. Winsmotief het ook 'n beduidende rol gespeel en die krygsgevangenes gemotiveer om tyd en aandag aan die gehalte van hul handwerk te gee aangesien beter vervaardigde voorwerpe hoer pryse behaal het.
Google Translate (better translations welcome):
pp. 136-137
In Ceylon, traders bought up handicrafts to trade in and try to create a competitive market. One of the buyers was J.T. Bain, who, with his international contacts, was able to send prisoner-of-war handicrafts anywhere and sell them to sympathizers at a good profit. He therefore advertised in De Krijgsgevangene of Ceylon as well as De Strever that any exile or visitor to the camp interested in prisoner-of-war art should visit him in hut 28 or write to him. After the news of peace had reached the exiles, Bain made a request in De Krijgsgevangene of Ceylon on 5 June 1902 that all money owed to him should be paid as soon as possible.
p. 65
The improvement [in the quality of the work] was largely due to competition from buyers who traded in prisoner-of-war art. Thus J.T. Bain, who was in the Diyatalawa camp, critically assessed the work of the exiles and to a certain extent also acted as an educator. Bain pointed out imperfections in the creation of the POW art and promised better prices if these errors could be avoided. In this way, exiles learned a little self-criticism and unlearned the tendency to be satisfied with their own work too quickly. The profit motive also played a significant role and motivated the POWs to devote time and attention to the quality of their craft, since better-made objects fetched higher prices.
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