The Changing Face of Antique Buying

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.”