Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-27320169-20151229190234/@comment-27718380-20160106003659

1.152.96.93 wrote: I must say that the sources on the Avari that I can find seem to say that their culture had collapsed long prior to the late first age. All the elves that remained in far east where greatly reduced in power. To quote "The Avari became a less powerful people for their land became barbarous with Dark Powers and evil races, and so the Elves dwindled and hid themselves. They became as shadows and sprites that mortal eyes could not perceive. They lived always close to the wooded land, built no cities and had no kings."

So I must say that this seems to state that the Avari where a much reduced people, though weather they would still have the smithing skills of the other elves I cannot say. Aye, source. However, I'm fairly sure that was stated about the Fourth Age and beyond, or similar was. I certainly know nothing of what you suggest about the first age. If that's Unfinished Tales, I'm afraid that's going out of the window. Also, if it's been removed from the Silmarillion to my eyes it was never there.