Ali & Hicham Aboutaam » e-tiquities

Islamic Art

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:43:00 +0000

Art is more than just aesthetically pleasing. It also can give one details about the culture and ideology of the place where it was made. This is especially true Islamic art. Through its art, one can see how Muslims view the world and their relationship to it. Since Muslims are not allowed to engage in any form of idol-worship, Islamic art has to reflect that prohibition and thus any depictions of animals or humans that might lead to such worship are forbidden. Hence Islamic art is centered around floral, calligraphic, arabesque and geometric forms. Today, on sale at e-Tiquities is a pair of Islamic gold bracelets, each of which has two twisted wires; a thick and smooth one and a thin and granulated ornamented one. Both bracelets (which actually form a pair) have turquoise tiles in a heart shape and are identical. Given its fine materials and great craftsmanship, the bracelets were probably worn by someone who was quite affluent.

The Aboutaam’s, Etruscan and Villanovan Art

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:52:08 +0000

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 and were developed in central Italy. Any gems dating this time are quite precious today since very few pieces survived, 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 exist would counter this claim.

The Aboutaam’s and Villanovian Figures

Typical from the Villanovian Era is a 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.

Using Antiques in the Home

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:43:30 +0000

What’s old is always in style. At least that’s what people who love antiques say. There are many great ways to decorate with antiques and to take home décor to a whole new level of style with only a few key items.

When you start to search for antiques, you should first become familiar with the variety of choices at a location like Phoenix Ancient Art. Antique dealers Hicham Aboutaam and Ali Aboutaam offer a great deal of information on their various sites.

One tip when starting to decorate with antiques is to group together similar objects. Another is to stick to one time period.

Byzantine Antiques

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:58:54 +0000

There is a large selection of Byzantine antiques that collectors can find at auction houses and online at locations such as Phoenix Ancient Art. 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 such as Hicham Aboutaam can tell you, existed from the 4^th century A.D. until 1453 A.D. when Constantinople, the Empire’s capital, fell to the Turks. Available antiquesfrom the period could include such treasures as this Byzantine gold inlay tha has a monogram that was very typical during the Byzantine period. Such pieces were as a method of identification and and to show that the owner was part of a larger group.

Other Byzantine pieces that you can find at Phoenix Ancient Art, include a spoon with an inscription, statues and jewelry.

Archaic and Classic Greek Antiques

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:58:38 +0000

When shopping for antiques, you should certainly be familiar with the various eras of art of the period . Websites such as Phoenix Ancient Art will give you a great overview of the many cultures you might encounter.

Archaic antiques come from Greece and were made during the prosperous 6^th and early 5^th centuries B.C. The most common pieces from this period, as antique dealers Hicham Aboutaam and Ali Aboutaam explain, include statues of human figures and pottery.

One very unusual feature of the statues of this period is that most of them are smiling. Thisexpression is the well known “archaic-smile” and was, historians think, supposed to convey a feeling of peace. Large statues from this period include monumental statues in marble and bronze that were created to decorate temples such as the Parthenon in Athens. You can also find red-figure and white-ground pottery from this period.

Going Once, Twice, Sold on E-tiquities of Phoenix Ancient Art

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:51:36 +0000

Never afraid to innovative when it comes to bringing the beauty and excitement of ancient art to a wider audience, the Aboutaam brothers, Hicham and Ali, instituted e-tiquities in May, 2009. Not only can items be purchased on-line, via e-tiquities™ but potential collectors can also participate in on-line auctions. The first work to be auctioned on e-tiquities was a glass amphoriskos, a type of perfume bottle, from the Greek Hellinistic epoch, 3rd to 2nd century B.C.E. The bidding was set to begin at $8,000.

Hicham Aboutaam explains that purchasing antiquities can be a sound investment, which not only maintains its monetary value, but adds also value to the enjoyment of the collector’s life.

As Mr. Aboutaam put it:

“Given current economic conditions, people of all financial status are looking for safer havens for their investments. Antiquities have always been a good alternative through both booms and busts and unlike stocks or bonds, the return on investment includes owning a piece of timeless beauty.”

E-tiquities Brings Ancient Art to Your Fingertips

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:45:26 +0000

Always at the forefront of new trends in antiquities dealing, the Aboutaam brothers, Ali and Hicham, have decided to launch a truly innovative method for people to acquire antiquities through their computer. All a prospective customer has to do is point his mouse to www.e-tiquities.com and examine, at his own convenience, the large array of ancient works of art available for sale.

When the collector enters this website he will find beautiful objects of art in the widest possible range of prices, from as little as $500 and all the way up to $25,000, all available at the mere touch of a button.

The purpose of this venture, which was inaugurated on May 1st, 2009, is to bring antiquities to a new audience, an audience that did not previously have access to antiquities, or believed that ancient art collecting is only for the mega-rich. Ali and Hicham Aboutaam also want to make collecting ancient art easier for those already involved. As Hicham explained it,

“In launching e-tiquities™ by Phoenix Ancient Art, we hope both to introduce a new audience to the cultures of the ancient world, and to give our existing clients an easy way to expand their collections.”