Ali & Hichaam Aboutaam

Contemporary and ancient Syrian Art are quite different.  With modern Syrian art it was the Syrian government that controlled the local arts scene but in recent times that has been changing since the country’s economy has become more open and less government-controlled.  In addition, the Westerners have been seeking something different and are thus spending more money on Middle Eastern Art.  This has led to the opening of various modern art galleries in Damascus which work with international collectors and what this has meant is that “the average price of a medium-sized work has appreciated 400 percent.”  For ancient Syrian art lovers however, one can purchase a Syrian Pilgrim terracotta Flask with a round and bellied body that has two handles from Phoenix Ancient Art.  It comprises five parts that were made separately and then put together.  It can be purchased for $5,000.

Antiquities are not simply old pieces of art. They carry a message about a culture’s heritage and history which is the legacy and gift of that culture to its heirs and to the rest of the world. Because of the special place ancient objects have in a nation’s culture, the rules regarding trade and ownership of these artifacts have a special significance.
Recently there has been a movement to improve the laws that exist and perhaps create new laws that protect the objects and the nation’s that birthed them so that rightful possession and ownership can be sought after and maintained.

Antiquities dealers are affected by these changes. “If dealers ignore the changing standards in the antiquities trade,” says Hicham Aboutaam, co-owner, with his brother, Ali, of Phoenix Ancient Art of New York and Geneva, “it will be at their peril.”

In addition dealers often take the “buyers beware” approach to selling antiquities. “We research pieces as much as we can,” says Aboutaam, “and if we fail to find a provenance, we put everything on the table and let the buyer decide.”

Some of the gems on sale by Phoenix Ancient Art – owned by Ali Aboutaam and his brother Hicham – come from the Etruscan and Villanovan period, developed in central Italy.  Any gems found during this time are quite precious today since very few pieces remain, especially from the Villanovan period.  This might suggest that the society lived quite modest lives since very few luxurious items remain but actually the jewelry that does remain would counter this claim.
The Aboutaam’s and Villanovian Figures

Typical from the Villanovian Era, is a Villanovian bronze figurine, on sale through e-Tiquities, Phoenix Ancient Art’s online site.  This figure is a man standing naked except for a small cap.  His facial features are quite distinct:  straight nose, slightly bulging eyes; ears coming out from the cap.  The Villanovians were known for creating many bronze figures very much like this one.

If you love to wander about art galleries then you should consider participating in this year’s upcoming third annual Madison Avenue Gallery Walk.  This event, which will be taking place on Saturday, May 15, 2010, is a benefit for The Fund for Public Schools, which will use the monies raised to promote and support art education in the New York City public school system.

Included among the 50 participating galleries is Phoenix Ancient Art, whose New York branch, located at 47 East 66th Street, is right smack in the middle of this year’s event.  Spanning the approximately one mile from East 57th Street to East 83rd Street, the Madison Avenue Gallery Walk will feature docent led tours of the galleries which will have speakers and programed discussions open to the public. Tours will take place every hour beginning at 11am, with the last tour scheduled to begin at 4pm.

There will also be a scavenger hunt in which families can compete in a fun way for 2 for the price of one discount tickets to the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Ali and Hicham Aboutaam, the brothers that preside over the Phoenix Ancient Art Gallery, are looking forward to a great day and hope to see you there.

Each year, Palm Beach hosts a fantastic antiques fair, showing antiques from over 90 dealers.  Called the Palm Beach/America’s Fine Art & Antique Fair, this fair attracts the best antique dealers from around the world to display their possessions.

The 2007 fair, with its new director Dr. Michale Mezzatesta, lasted for 11 days with an invitation-only preview.  The opening night saw such socialites as Melania Trump and Ivana Trump, Princess Michael of Kent, and many others.

Art historian Philip Feyfer from Axel Vervoordt in Belgium said that “We got off to a good start.”  Phoenix Ancient Art displayed a stunning booth of antiques.  Their prized possessions included an Egyptian granite torso of King Nepherities that dates from the 29^th Dynasty (399-393 B.C.) priced at $2 million.

Historically, antiquities have only been a very small part of the art market.  However, they are beginning to attract more attention from collectors and investors.  The black market for antiques has been restricted, causing tighter controls on access to antiques. And this, of course, raises the value of each antique and the interest in this field.

These tighter rules and lower supplies have made people more excited about antiques.  Recently, a bronze head of Ptolemy of Mauretania from around 520 A.D. was sold at Sotheby’s.  Estimated to be worth up to $500,000, it sold for $960,000!

This excitement is certainly good news for antiquities galleries such as Phoenix Ancient Art, owned by Ali Aboutaam and Hicham Aboutaam.  They understand that antiquities don’t grab headlines the way that other art does – but that antiques are a great opportunity and a great investment.

Today, the purchase of antiques has a new face.  As described on CNNMoney.com, antique purchasing has become more mainstream.  This is particularly true in America.  While antiques have always been of interest to the highly wealthy, the antique world in America is finding more regular Americans coming out to auctions.

Last year at Sotheby’s the auction house was packed – and it wasn’t just full of intellectual dealers and wealthy patrons.  There were many others there as well.  The objects that were being auctioned, as well, were treated differently than they have been in the past.  They were spread out throughout the room and were looked at, leaned on and admired.

Ali and Hicham Aboutaam, well-known antique dealers, are excited about these changes.  As Hicham Aboutaam said,  “There are more and more Americans – all sorts of different classes and types of Americans – traveling throughout the world, going to museums, visiting old Europe, bringing these interests home with them, and wanting to learn more. They go see these things and think, ‘Wow, it can be this beautiful?’ It’s grassroots. It’s exciting.”

If you’re looking for an outstanding show piece, or a terrific investment, Hellenistic antiques are a great choice.  Phoenix Ancient Art offers a large selection of breathtaking Hellenistic antiques.  What exactly is the Hellenistic period?  This is the period of time when Greek art was produced under the rule of Alexander the Greet and his successors. It spanned from the 3rd to the 1st centuries B.C.

During this time period, the Greek empire was all ruled by Alexander the Great, and was a time of great prosperity and opportunity. The antiques from this period include sculptures in marble and bronze, beautiful paintings, and breathtaking mosaics.

Last week saw the exciting Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair finish up in Brussels.  Phoenix Ancient Art owners Ali Aboutaam and Hicham Aboutaam were part of the 130 vendors who were invited to be part of this 55th year of the fair.  Since 1955, Belgium has hosted this fair, said to be the only one of its kind in the world.  They estimated that 36,000 visitors from Belgium and around the world would come to see the vast selection of available antiques.

Antique choices included everything from silver, antique jewelery, furniture and works of art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, ceramics, drawings, engravings and more. The fair took place at the Tour & Taxis site in the heart of Brussels, creating a location that is easy to get to and that can house all of the items.  A guided tour was available every day at 3 pm.

There is a large selection of Byzantine antiques that collectors can find at auction houses, online locations such Phoenix Ancient Art, and other sites.  These pieces are characterized by their strong religious and imperial themes and include beautiful paintings, mosaics, jewelry, ivories and more.

The Byzantine Empire, as any historian or antiques dealer like Hicham Aboutaam can tell you, survived from the 4^th century A.D. until 1453 A.D. when Constantinople, the Empire’s capital, fell. Available antiques could include such treasures as a Byzantine gold inlay. This inlay shows a monogram that was very typical during the Byzantine period, as they used it as a method of identification and expression and to show that they were part of a larger group.

Other pieces, such as those you could find at Phoenix Ancient Art, include a spoon with an inscription, statues, jewelry such as the encolpion and more.