Ali & Hicham Aboutaam » Hicham Aboutaam

CYCLADIC FIGURE BRINGS RECORD PRICE AT CHRISTIE’S

Sophie — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:27:22 +0000

Christie’s Antiquities sale on 9 December was highlighted by an 11 ½ inch Cycladic marble reclining female figure, circa 2400 B.C. The piece of one of twelve known by the “Schuster Master,” so-called for this piece which once belonged to Swiss collector Marion Schuster. This example, which is the only complete work from the artist to survive, has never been up for auction before. It was last on the market in 2006, when the Aboutaam brothers, owners of Phoenix Ancient Art, exhibited it in their booth at the Paris Biennale. The piece was sold shortly after that to a private collector who consigned it to Christie’s for sale on TK December. The idol sold for $16,882,500, against presale expectations of $3-5 million. The price was a new auction record for a Cycladic marble figure, eclipsing the previous auction record of $2.09 million, paid at Sotheby’s for a Cycladic head in December 1988. Related posts:

Bronze Figure of Serapis Seated on a Throne at Phoenix Ancient Art

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:17:18 +0000

One of the many antiques available from Hicham and Ali Aboutaam at Phoenix Ancient Art is this thirdpcentury Bronze Figure of Serapis seated on a Throne.

Serapis was quite popular during the Hellenistic period , with a large temple located in Alexandria and another famous one in Memphis. His successful cult spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. This small bronze, and other similar figures, is believed to correspond to the cult statue that is housed in the Alexandria temple. This statue was commissioned by Ptolemy II to the sculptor Bryaxis the Younger.

New Rules for Ancient Art

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:32:49 +0000

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 to create new laws that protect the objects and the nations they came from so that rightful possession and ownership can be 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.”

Some dealers 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.”

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.

Gallery Walk Features Phoenix Ancient Art

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:32:02 +0000

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.

The Changing Face of Antique Buying

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:07:54 +0000

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 antiques world in America is finding more regular Americans participating in auctions.

Last year at Sotheby’s Antiquities sales 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 artistically displayed throughout the room..

Ali and Hicham Aboutaam, well-known antiqueities 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.”

Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:48:26 +0000

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 the 55th year of the fair. Since 1955, Belgium has hosted this fair, said to be the only one of its kind in the world. It is estimated that 36,000 visitors from Belgium and around the world 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.

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.”

No Fear Art Collecting at Phoenix Ancient Art

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:45:48 +0000

Some people might be nervous about purchasing ancient art. They might be unsure of the authenticity or chain of ownership (provenance) of the piece of art they are considering. At Phoenix Ancient Art this kind of worrying is completely unfounded. According to Hicham Aboutaam,

“One of the things which makes Phoenix Ancient Art special in our field is the guarantee of authenticity that we provide to our clients, whether they buy works in our galleries or on our new website. Over the years, we’ve developed procedures to establish provenance to ensure that our pieces are both authentic and on the market in accordance with international law.”

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.”