Picasso plate heads scrumptious Crescent City sale March 2-3

Fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece French clock set by Japy Freres, 19th century. Crescent City Auction Gallery.
Fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece French clock set by Japy Freres, 19th century. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece French clock set by Japy Freres, 19th century. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

NEW ORLEANS – A silver plate showing an image of a bull’s head by the renowned artist Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), cast by Francois and Peter Hugo of Paris in the mid-1950s, is the anticipated top lot of a massive estates sale planned for March 2-3 by Crescent City Auction Gallery, in the firm’s new gallery located at 1330 St. Charles Ave. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The plate, numbered 6 of 20 and titled Tete de Taureau (“Head of Bull”), is expected to bring $30,000-$50,000. It is verso stamped “Picasso” and the rim carries the Hugo mark. It is 16 1/2 inches in diameter. In all nearly 1,500 quality lots will change hands in a variety of categories: fine art, Asian objects, silver, jewelry, furniture, gold coins, clocks, chandeliers, rugs and more.

Start times for both days of the weekend sale will be 9 a.m. CST.

Included in the sale will be items from the collection of Bobby Hebert, the retired New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons football player, numerous local and Southern estates and a major Spanish art collection, featuring works such as an oil on board by Manuel Marola (Spanish, 1905-1986), titled Abstract Composition, impressive at 40 1/2 inches by 75 1/2 inches (est. $2,000-$3,000).

Antique Asian objects are a hot category, and this auction has several high-end pieces. They include a pair of mid-20th century uncarved elephant ivory tusks, 49 inches from tip-to-tip (est. $6,000-$9,000); a late 19th century Chinese Export gilded filigree silver and enamel tea caddy decorated in colored enamel, with turquoise and coral stone accents (est. $600-$900); and exciting examples of Chinese ivory, porcelains and antiquities.

Just as popular, in light of the skyrocketing value of precious metals, are gold coins, and this sale features an astounding collection of 75 American gold pieces. An example is an 1889-CC Double Eagle gold coin, estimated to fetch $4,000-$6,000. Also, estate jewelry items will feature a dazzling array of tanzanites, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls and more.

The fine art category will be dotted with offerings by noted regional artists. Examples will include a 1923 oil on board by William Woodward (Louisiana, 1859-1939), titled Adirondack Mountains, artist signed and in the original frame (est. $1,500-$2,500); and an oil on board by Rolland Golden (Louisiana, b. 1931), titled French Quarter Rooftops, signed (est. $1,000-$2,000).

Regulars at Crescent City Auction Gallery, and art aficionados in general, will recognize the name George Rodrigue (Louisiana, b. 1944), famous for his Blue-Dog series (inspired by his long-deceased childhood pet, Tiffany). This auction will feature a pre-Blue-Dog work – a circa-1970 oil on canvas titled Drawn Wagon Mule, from Rodrigue’s Acadians and Oaks series (est. $10,000-$15,000).

Three works by the Georgia-born Louisiana painter Alexander Drysdale (1870-1934) will come under the gavel. They include an oil wash on paper work (a rare vertical example by the artist) titled Moss Draped Cypress Trees and Oaks (est. $4,500-$5,500); and an oil wash on paper titled Moss Draped Oaks at Sunset (est. $3,500-$4,500). Both were done early 20th century.

One other noteworthy local artist is Colette Pope Heldner (Minnesota/Louisiana, 1902-1990). Her signed oil on canvas work titled Old Creole Patio, New Orleans, measuring 24 inches by 48 inches, should bring $1,000-$2,000. Also, a patinated bronze sculpture by French artist Jules Moigniez (1835-1894), titled A Pheasant and a Weasel, is expected to realize $3,500-$5,000.

The furniture category will feature around 30 pieces of Mid-Century Danish Modern, to include a set of 10 Hans Wegner carved teak arm chairs from “The Chair” series (circa 1950), with caned seats, each one 30 1/4 inches tall (est. $7,000-$10,000). Also sold will be a circa-1700 Louis XIII-style carved walnut homme debout, or two-door men’s garment cupboard (est. $2,000-$3,000).

Other star furniture lots will include an early 19th century Louis XV-style carved cherry sideboard, 50 1/4 inches tall by 64 3/4 inches wide (est. $2,000-$3,000); and a circa-1800 French provincial carved cherry armoire, 105 1/2 inches tall by 74 1/2 inches wide (est. $1,800-$2,500).

The auction will also feature a selection of Russian icons, to include a 19th century icon of the Virgin of Kazan with silvered metal riza, mounted with fresh water pearls and rhinestones and measuring 12 1/4 inches tall by 10 1/2 inches wide by 1 3/4 inches deep (est. $3,500-$5,000).

Clocks will feature a 19th century fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece clock set by Japy Freres, retailed by Black, Starr & Frost (est. $5,000-$8,000); a bronze and verde Antico marble three-piece clock set (circa 1870), with works marked P. Bonnet and P. Pottier, with a green bronze lion surmount (est. $1,500-$2,500); and a 19th century Louis XV-style bronze and alabaster three-piece clock set by A.D. Mougin, with clock and candelabra (est. $1,200-$1,800).

A large selection of sterling silver will include a large handled serving tray by Fisher, 27 3/4 inches wide and weighing 120.1 troy ounces (est. $5,000-$7,000); a 19th century French First Standard Louis XVI four-piece coffee service, 58.49 troy ounces (est. $2,000-$3,000); and an 87-piece flatware set by Gorham in the Strasbourg pattern, 92.51 troy ounces ($2,500-$4,500).

For details call Crescent City Auction Gallery LLC at 504-529-5057 or e-mail them at info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece French clock set by Japy Freres, 19th century. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Fine gilt bronze and white marble three-piece French clock set by Japy Freres, 19th century. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Silver plate with image of a bull's head by Pablo Picasso, cast by Francois and Peter Hugo. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Silver plate with image of a bull’s head by Pablo Picasso, cast by Francois and Peter Hugo. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Pair of large mid-20th century elephant ivory tusks, uncarved, 49 inches from tip-to-tip. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Pair of large mid-20th century elephant ivory tusks, uncarved, 49 inches from tip-to-tip. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Pre-Blue-Dog oil on canvas by Louisiana artist George Rodrigue, titled ‘Mule Drawn Wagon.’ Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Pre-Blue-Dog oil on canvas by Louisiana artist George Rodrigue, titled ‘Mule Drawn Wagon.’ Crescent City Auction Gallery.

1889-CC gold coin, one of 75 American gold coins in an outstanding collection. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

1889-CC gold coin, one of 75 American gold coins in an outstanding collection. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Set of 10 Hans Wegner carved teak Mid-Century Danish Modern arm chairs, with caned seats. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Set of 10 Hans Wegner carved teak Mid-Century Danish Modern arm chairs, with caned seats. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Oil on board by Manuel Marola titled ‘Abstract Composition,’ part of a Spanish art collection. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Oil on board by Manuel Marola titled ‘Abstract Composition,’ part of a Spanish art collection. Crescent City Auction Gallery.

 

Premiere Props celebrates the Oscars with sale March 2-3

Jeff Bridges’ cowboy hat from ‘True Grit.’ Premiere Props image.

Jeff Bridges’ cowboy hat from ‘True Grit.’ Premiere Props image.

Jeff Bridges’ cowboy hat from ‘True Grit.’ Premiere Props image.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – On March 23, Premiere Props will auction off over 1,000 Hollywood costumes and props including several from films that have been nominated for Academy Awards including Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained, The Godfather, Inglourious Basterds, Mary Poppins, True Grit and Cast Away at their Hollywood Extravaganza IX. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

In addition, there are items from Academy Award winners and nominees including Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt, Hilary Swank and Kathy Bates.

The Hollywood Extravaganza IX will take place on Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, beginning at 11 a.m. PST.

Items include:

  • Silver Linings Playbook – items including Bradley Cooper’s running costume; costumes from Jennifer Lawrence and the copy of A Farewell to Arms that Bradley Cooper throws out his parent’s window.
  • Django Unchained – items include several of the pistols used by Jamie Foxx.
  • The Godfather – screen used accordion in the Las Vegas scene.
  • Inglorious Basterds – screen used playing card.
  • Mary Poppins – original production drawings.
  • Cast Away – Tom Hanks’ sweater when he is washed ashore after the plane crash.
  • True Grit – Jeff Bridges screen worn hat including his one-of-a-kind custom hat block signed by the Master Hatter
  • 3:10 to Yuma – Russell Crowe’s “Hand of God” Colt Single Action Army 4 3/4 inches live-fire .45
  • A River Runs Through It – Brad Pitt’s khaki pants
  • P.S. I Love You – Hilary Swank’s and Kathy Bates’ costumes
  • National Treasure – Nicolas Cage’s screen-worn Luros watch.

“With the 85th Annual Academy Awards quickly approaching, we are thrilled when we can give movie fans around the world the opportunity to own items that are a part of cinematic history,” said Dan Levin, vice president of marketing for Premiere Props.

For details call 310-322-PROP or 888-761-PROP.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Jeff Bridges’ cowboy hat from ‘True Grit.’ Premiere Props image.

Jeff Bridges’ cowboy hat from ‘True Grit.’ Premiere Props image.

An accordion from ‘The Godfather.’ Premiere Props image.

An accordion from ‘The Godfather.’ Premiere Props image.

Brad Pitts’ khaki pants from ‘A River Runs Through It.’ Premiere Props image.

Brad Pitts’ khaki pants from ‘A River Runs Through It.’ Premiere Props image.

Revolvers used by Jamie Foxx in ‘Django Unchained.’ Premiere Props image.

Revolvers used by Jamie Foxx in ‘Django Unchained.’ Premiere Props image.

Three Rivers Auction to sell high-flying autographs Feb. 23

Portrait of Daniel Webster, oil on canvas. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.
Portrait of Daniel Webster, oil on canvas. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Portrait of Daniel Webster, oil on canvas. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

WASHINGTON, Pa. – An autograph, book and art auction will be conducted by the Three Rivers Auction Co. on Saturday, Feb. 23, beginning at noon EST. This important sale features part of a significant lifetime collection and includes one of the most desirable signatures of the 20th century, that of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon. Many have called Armstrong the Columbus of our time. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

This historic sale also includes autographs of Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Calvin Coolidge and other presidents and political figures. Autographs of many important military leaders of the twentieth century, such as Eddie Rickenbacker, Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and Gen. Omar Bradley, will be featured in this sale. Signatures of stars of the theater and the silver screen include Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, Audrey and Kathryn Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and dozens more. Sports autographs are represented by one of baseball’s greatest stars, Honus Wagner.

Fine art and prints are also a highlight. A significant portrait of Daniel Webster attributed to artist Chester Harding is being offered. Works by western Pennsylvania artists A. F. King, Malcolm Parcell and others round out this auction.

“Autograph collecting is a fantastic way to preserve world history. Imagine holding in your hands a letter written and signed by the first man in history to walk on the moon,” says auctioneer Tripp Kline.

For details email auctioneer William M. Kline III at trippkline@yahoo.com or phone 412-916- 0187.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Portrait of Daniel Webster, oil on canvas. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.
 

Portrait of Daniel Webster, oil on canvas. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Neil Armstrong autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.
 

Neil Armstrong autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Elizabeth Taylor autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.
 

Elizabeth Taylor autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Honus Wagner autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Honus Wagner autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.
 

Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker autograph. Three Rivers Auction Co. image.

Designer’s collection featured in Kamelot auction Feb. 22-23

French time-and-strike mantel clock circa 1890. Kamelot Auctions image.
French time-and-strike mantel clock circa 1890. Kamelot Auctions image.

French time-and-strike mantel clock circa 1890. Kamelot Auctions image.

PHILADELPHIA – Kamelot Auctions brings a bold start to 2013, opening the year with a lavish two-day sale to be held on Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23. In its entirety, the sale will showcase over 1,100 lots over the course of two days. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Friday’s sale will be composed of more than 500 lots of bronzes, antique mantel clocks, satsuma, antique boxes and caddies, listed oil paintings, porcelain, glass and silver, all of which will be offered with no reserves. Saturday’s auction includes a fine selection of antique and mid-century furniture items as well as a large grouping of chandeliers, sconces and estate rugs. A large majority of this two-day sale constitutes the lifetime collection of esteemed Philadelphia interior designer Gregory Tofini as well as the bronze collection from the former chairman of Cybis porcelain of Trenton, N.J.

Prospective buyers will be tempted by the smorgasbord of decorative arts items that Kamelot has compiled, just some of which will include 43 lots of fine Japanese Satsuma pottery, 36 clocks, antique boxes and caddies, fans, and an impressive collection of Austrian bronze statuary. Lot number 108, a spectacular white marble and two-tone bronze French mantel clock displays an Egyptian motif and will be offered with estimates of $600 to $800. Other gems include lot number 151, an antique bronze sculpture of a griffin circa 1897, and lot number 129, a bronze sculpture of a heron by French sculptor Jules Moigniez with estimates of $1,000 to $2,000.

A select group of fine art, comprising 76 lots, will indeed bring further enthusiasm to this sale. Already receiving a great deal of attention is lot number 508, a signed oil painting by California artist Edgar Alwin Payne, which will be offered with estimates of $3,000 to $5,000. Other noteworthy pieces include lot 496, a signed oil painting by Spanish artist Jose Rico Y Cejudo, and lot 497, an oil painting by New York artist Ivan Gregorewitch Olinsky titled Before the Mirror.

Furniture buyers can anticipate a collage of antique and mid-century furniture and lighting including consoles, end tables, desks, chairs, vitrines, servers, commodes, sideboards and much more. Also to be featured are over 100 lots of lighting fixtures including a beautiful collection of chandeliers, sconces, and candelabrum. Expected to spur considerable competition amongst buyers is a collection of furniture from acclaimed furniture maker and New Hope, Pa., native Phillip Lloyd Powell. Other likely crowd pleasers include lot number 647, a Jansen regency-style ebonized and gilt decorated server with estimates of $4,000 to $6,000, and lot number 934, a 19th century French empire-style mahogany bronze mounted two-part vitrine with estimates of $1,000 to $1,800.

Kamelot has unearthed beautiful artistry and incredible ingenuity amid the sale’s 1,100-plus lots and by all appearances, this sale promises great success. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 22, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23.

For details contact Kamelot Auctions at 215-438-6990.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

French time-and-strike mantel clock circa 1890. Kamelot Auctions image.

French time-and-strike mantel clock circa 1890. Kamelot Auctions image.

Signed Jansen bronze mounted server. Kamelot Auctions image.

Signed Jansen bronze mounted server. Kamelot Auctions image.

Nineteenth century bronze mounted vitrine. Kamelot Auctions image.

Nineteenth century bronze mounted vitrine. Kamelot Auctions image.

Bronze sculpture of a griffin, circa 1897. Kamelot Auctions image.

Bronze sculpture of a griffin, circa 1897. Kamelot Auctions image.

Selection of boxes, tea caddies and lap desks. Kamelot Auctions image.

Selection of boxes, tea caddies and lap desks. Kamelot Auctions image.

Collection of satsuma. Kamelot Auctions image.

Collection of satsuma. Kamelot Auctions image.

Edgar Alwin Payne painting. Kamelot Auctions image.

Edgar Alwin Payne painting. Kamelot Auctions image.

Ivan Gregorewitch Olinsky 'Before the Mirror,' oil on canvas, lot 497. Kamelot Auctions image.

Ivan Gregorewitch Olinsky ‘Before the Mirror,’ oil on canvas, lot 497. Kamelot Auctions image.

New kabuki theater lights up in advance of April opening

The former Kabuki-za, a kabuki theater in the Ginza section of Tokyo, which was built in 1951 and recently demolished. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The former Kabuki-za, a kabuki theater in the Ginza section of Tokyo, which was built in 1951 and recently demolished. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The former Kabuki-za, a kabuki theater in the Ginza section of Tokyo, which was built in 1951 and recently demolished. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

TOKYO (AFP) – Lights began to shine on Tokyo’s celebrated home of traditional kabuki theater on Thursday, as the renovated venue prepares to raise the curtains on a new era.

The new Kabuki-za theatre, part of a 29-story office building in the upscale Ginza shopping district, has now started an evening illumination program ahead of its April opening.

The theater occupies the bottom floors of the tower, retaining some elements of the original facade, which evokes medieval Japanese castles and temples with its curved roofs and red paper lanterns.

Standing 470 feet high, the new skyscraper is the tallest building in the area. Overlooking an eastern section of the Japanese capital, the summit of Mount Fuji can be seen on clear days.

For decades, the kabuki-za has been the premiere venue to see the 400-year-old stylised performing art, whose all-male casts perform in extravagant costumes and mask-like facial makeup.

The new four-story playhouse, with an 1,800-seat capacity, is the fifth version of the theater, whose history dates back to 1889.

The previous building, which was built in 1951 to replace the one that was heavily damaged in World War II, was demolished in 2010 due to worries over its ability to withstand earthquakes.

The new building has been designed to function as a refuge in case of disasters such as earthquakes, as communities across Japan heighten their disaster readiness in light of the deadly earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The former Kabuki-za, a kabuki theater in the Ginza section of Tokyo, which was built in 1951 and recently demolished. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The former Kabuki-za, a kabuki theater in the Ginza section of Tokyo, which was built in 1951 and recently demolished. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

France to return art stolen during WWII to Jewish heirs

An example of Italian master Gaspare Diziani's work: 'The Finding of Moses.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
An example of Italian master Gaspare Diziani's work: 'The Finding of Moses.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
An example of Italian master Gaspare Diziani’s work: ‘The Finding of Moses.’ Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

PARIS (AFP) – France will return seven paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries to the heirs of two Jewish families whose artworks were stolen during World War II, the culture ministry told AFP on Thursday.

Six paintings by Italian and German artists will be returned to Thomas Selldorff, the octogenarian grandson of Austrian textile magnate Richard Neumann, who was forced to flee his country in 1938.

Neumann came with part of his art collection to Paris but fled to Spain when the Nazis occupied France and eventually reached Cuba, where he settled.

His grandson is based in the United States.

An avid art collector, Neumann had more than 200 works of art in his Vienna villa. The six paintings he brought with him to Paris were eventually seized by the Nazis for a museum that Adolf Hitler wanted to build in his native Linz.

The works include The Allegory of Venice by Gaspare Diziani (1689-1767), Saint Francis by Salvator Francesco Fontebasso (1709-1769) and Venetian painter Alessandro Longhi’s Portrait of Bartolomeo Ferracina.

The other oeuvres are by Italian masters Sebastiano Ricci and Gaetano Gandolfi, and the German painter Francois-Charles Palko. Several of them are on display at the Louvre museum in Paris.

Another painting, The Stop by Dutch artist Pieter Jansz van Asch, will be returned to the family of Prague banker Josef Wiener who died during deportation.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

An example of Italian master Gaspare Diziani's work: 'The Finding of Moses.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
An example of Italian master Gaspare Diziani’s work: ‘The Finding of Moses.’ Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Norway honors Edvard Munch with ‘The Scream’ stamp

One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.

OSLO, Norway (AP) – Norway is celebrating the 150th anniversary of expressionist painter Edvard Munch’s birth with postage stamps of his most famous compositions, including The Scream – the world’s most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.

Norway Post spokesman Hilde Ebeltoft-Skaugrud says that four stamps of Munch’s works, including his 1895 classic Madonna, and a miniature sheet will go on sale Friday.

Ebeltoft-Skaugard said Wednesday that The Scream had not been on stamps before because it hadn’t become synonymous “40 or 50 years ago” with Munch as it has done today.

Munch, who died in 1944, painted four versions of The Scream. The one used for the 20-kroner ($3.60) stamp is at the National Museum in Oslo.

In May, an anonymous private collector paid $120 million for The Scream at Sotheby’s.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-02-13-13 1513GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.

Antiquities in harm’s way during Syrian civil war

The Great Colonnade at Apamea was the main colonaded avenue of the ancient city of Apamea in Syria. The monumental colonnade is among the longest and most famous in the Roman world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
The Great Colonnade at Apamea was the main colonaded avenue of the ancient city of Apamea in Syria. The monumental colonnade is among the longest and most famous in the Roman world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
The Great Colonnade at Apamea was the main colonaded avenue of the ancient city of Apamea in Syria. The monumental colonnade is among the longest and most famous in the Roman world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) – A Syrian government official warned Wednesday of rampant trafficking in antiquities from his country and appealed for U.N. help in halting the illicit trade that has flourished during the nearly 23-month-long civil war.

Syria’s turmoil has increasingly threatened the country’s rich archaeological heritage but the issue of smuggling artifacts has taken a back seat to more dramatic images as some of the most significant sites got caught in the crossfire between regime forces and rebels.

President Bashar Assad’s troops have shelled rebel-held neighborhoods, smashing historic mosques, churches and souks, or markets. Looters have stolen artifacts from excavations and to a lesser extent, museums.

Maamoun Abdulkarim, head of the government’s antiquities department, warned of the smuggling at a UNESCO-sponsored workshop in Amman, Jordan, which brought together regional antiquities directors, customs and police officials, as well as international protection agencies.

He expressed hope that the Security Council would issue a resolution that would ban trade in stolen antiquities from Syria, and underscored that his nation’s cultural heritage must be preserved without taking political sides in the conflict.

“We want a united front to stop the destruction,” Abdulkarim told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the Amman gathering. “These acts are not only attacks on Syria’s heritage, they are attacks on the world’s heritage.”

Among artifacts stolen from Syria is an eighth century B.C. Aramaic bronze statue with gold overlay taken from the Hama museum and now listed by Interpol. Byzantine mosaics from the Roman city of Apamea near Aleppo were bulldozed and removed.

Experts consider Syria home to some of the most important cultural sites in human history, with six of them designated World Heritage sites by UNESCO, the U.N.’s cultural and educational agency.

The Jordan workshop focused on a plan to help safeguard the Syrian antiquities, according to Anna Paolini, UNESCO’s representative to Jordan. She said the plan included better training of antiquities and border personnel and coordination with the local community.

Paolini pointed to an archaeologist working via Skype and online with Syrian staff to assess damages, pack and label material for removal to secure spaces as a model that could be repeated to “mitigate damages and loss.” She did not wish to name the archaeologist, because of security concerns.

Abdulkarim acknowledged that fighting between the regime and rebels has damaged some of the country’s most iconic treasures.

World Heritage site Crak des Chavaliers near the Lebanese border, one of the most important military castles in history dated between 11th and 13th century, has been exposed to shelling and gunfire exchanges. Shelling has also reportedly caused extensive damage to the historic houses in the ancient city of Bosra in the south, once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia.

Aleppo, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, has witnessed some of the conflict’s most brutal destruction. Its 12th century Ummayad mosque and 13th century citadel gatehouse have been caught in the crosshairs of the conflict.

These monuments can all be repaired, Abdulkarim says, unlike those seven ancient markets incinerated in Aleppo’s storied centuries-old covered souk during fierce fighting last October. The fire burnt 500 shops, tearing through wooden doors and scorching stalls and vaulted passageways.

Because of the fighting, most Syrian museums have removed their priceless treasures, storing them in “safe places,” Abdulkarim said, without elaborating.

Still unearthed treasures, however, are under constant threat because of the ongoing violence, he said.

The antiquities chief was careful neither to blame government troops nor rebels for looting, which ranged from what he called small-scale “tomb robbing” to the bulldozing of Byzantine mosaics in the Roman city of Apamea near Aleppo. He instead blamed “mafias” of sophisticated smugglers familiar with the location of the country’s numerous treasures.

Abdulkarim praised Jordanian police for their recovery over the weekend of Syrian artifacts and called on other neighboring countries to tighten controls. He said the stolen items included clay pottery, figurines and other undated artifacts.

He also asked UNESCO to appeal to Turkey and Iraq to enact stricter measures to prevent the smuggling of artifacts across their borders. Turkey has strained ties with the Assad regime, while Iraq’s porous frontier with Syria is difficult to monitor.

Abdulkarim warned against his country becoming like another Iraq, where the Baghdad Museum and many archaeological sites were plundered following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein.

“We don’t want the world to go through the Iraq experience again,”Abdulkarim said.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-02-13-13 1347GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

The Great Colonnade at Apamea was the main colonaded avenue of the ancient city of Apamea in Syria. The monumental colonnade is among the longest and most famous in the Roman world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
The Great Colonnade at Apamea was the main colonaded avenue of the ancient city of Apamea in Syria. The monumental colonnade is among the longest and most famous in the Roman world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
Crac des Chevaliers is a Crusader castle in western Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
Crac des Chevaliers is a Crusader castle in western Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. Image by Bernard Gagnon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.