: : I think that we can look at it as either "It just IS, get over it", or we can look at it being an inconsistancy in LotR.

: : I had thought that the point was contestable, but your quote from Letters seems to make sense.

: : Still, you must admit that such a parallel shouldn't make sense. E.g the silmarilli, the palantir, etc.

: : I dunno. But it's been fun.

: : No harm done, and I'll buy you a drink at the Green Dragon.

: : Gandalf

: Cool. Afterwards, we can pop in to the Prancing Pony. For some reason, the beer there has been great recently...

I just have to say something here - I made the point that the knowledge to create rings still exists and there is therefore no reason someone couldn't create more (see earlier in the thread), then I believe Olorin pointed out Celebrimbor was a super-elf and none like him existed any more, well maybe, but that is not to say they wouldn't in the future..... People seem to think that the elves would fade twenty seconds after the rings - thats only the Noldo elves, the Avari and Sindar certainly would not fade straight away, much later into the 'fifth' and 'sixth' ages - see legends of fey folk and elves in Anglo-Saxon times if you want to tie it in with Tolkein.
Re the rings, this is an error on Tolkein's part - it does not work nor make any sense when you look at it, and it is used solely for yet more justification of elvish banishment from Middle-Earth.
There are (in Tolkeins view) several thousand years between end T.A and 'today' - plenty opf time for elves to enjoy Middle-Earth (secretly) and indeed create items of power that 1)protect them from contact with Mortals and 2) prevent them fading and wearying - hence they are still subject to scattered sightings right up to the present day - the knowledge they use to build these items of protection??? - The same that created the three rings.
You don't need to BE Celebrimbor to recreate his works.....
Don Quixote