Skip to content

Miscellaneana: Antiquities

This ancient Greek wine cup is more than 2,300 years old and was made in Apulia, one of the Greek colonies in southern Italy in the 4th century BC. The twin-handled deep pottery cup is known as a bolsal and is decorated with a scantily clad female seated on a garland of flower heads. Photo Odyssey.
This ancient Greek wine cup is more than 2,300 years old and was made in Apulia, one of the Greek colonies in southern Italy in the 4th century BC. The twin-handled deep pottery cup is known as a bolsal and is decorated with a scantily clad female seated on a garland of flower heads. Photo Odyssey.

LONDON – There was a time when I thought old stuff – I mean really old stuff – was found only in museums. It was probably the result of spending too many boring hours in one when school games periods were rained off. Being shown the Egyptian mummies and ancient Chinese pots brought back by the town’s rich industrialists was a handy way for teachers to “lose” their charges for an hour.

It was only when we began collecting that we realized that antique, or antiquity even, doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. A piece of Roman glass for £30, you can’t be serious. It must be a fake.

Southport-based dealer Alan Dawson, who trades as Odyssey Antiquities & Coins, reckons the commonly held misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. He said: “Yes, there are priceless ancient treasures and really expensive pieces just as there are Picassos and Rembrandts, Epsteins and Hockneys but there is also a wealth of lesser pieces which fall well within the budget of most collectors.”

This large and impressive figure of a Chinese T’ang dynasty terracotta dancing horse dates was probably originally interred in the tomb of a high ranking official to bestow immortality on the deceased. A thermoluminescence test shows it was fired was between 900 and 1,500 years ago. Photo Odyssey
This large and impressive figure of a Chinese T’ang dynasty terracotta dancing horse dates was probably originally interred in the tomb of a high ranking official to bestow immortality on the deceased. A thermoluminescence test shows it was fired was between 900 and 1,500 years ago. Photo Odyssey

So, what exactly are antiquities when compared with antiques? Alan explained that the term is generally used to cover any art or artefact, whether utilitarian or decorative, made by cultures of the ancient world. This usually encompasses Greece, the Roman Empire, Egypt and the Middle East.

But it’s not quite that simple. “In recent years material art of China and the Far East has also been included in the category. The term ‘antiquities’ is a broad heading that embraces such collecting areas as bronzes, glass, pottery, sculpture, figurines, jewellery, weaponry – in fact almost every antiques category is to be found in the material culture of the ancient world,” he said.

This extremely rare Roman terracotta tile dates from the early 6th century AD and depicts the head of Christ within a halo of sunrays. It and a few others were discovered during restoration work being carried out on a mosque near Bardo in Tunisia after being dumped as building rubble. An identical example can be seen in Bardo Museum. Photo Odyssey
This extremely rare Roman terracotta tile dates from the early 6th century AD and depicts the head of Christ within a halo of sunrays. It and a few others were discovered during restoration work being carried out on a mosque near Bardo in Tunisia after being dumped as building rubble. An identical example can be seen in Bardo Museum. Photo Odyssey

Antiquities appeal to collectors on a number of levels: a romantic interest in past classical civilizations is one. “Just holding an artefact made by our predecessors can bring the period to life in a way that books simply cannot,” Alan said.

Many ancient objects are also attractive in their own right with a contemporary aesthetic quality that can appeal to the fine art connoisseur. And then there is simply investment.

An ancient Greek silver bracelet modelled with ram’s head terminals, symbolizing energy, power, strong will and virility. It dates to the 5th century BC. Photo Odyssey
An ancient Greek silver bracelet modelled with ram’s head terminals, symbolizing energy, power, strong will and virility. It dates to the 5th century BC. Photo Odyssey

“The international ancient art market has held its own through the worst of financial crises and, in fact, is stronger and more vibrant now than ever before as disillusioned investors seek out fresh and hopefully unexploited areas in which to speculate,” Alan said. Handy, given the current market jitters as China continues to devalue its currency.

Like our £30 Roman glass vase, there are plenty of antiquities that can be purchased for far less than their Victorian equivalents, or as Alan put it: “An ancient Egyptian tiny faience shabti (tomb servant figure) for less than a Wade Whimsy.”

A stone carving of the ancient Ghandaran (North West Pakistan) god of wealth, Panika; and his consort Hariti. Probably intended to be placed in a small household shrine, it dates between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. Photo Odyssey
A stone carving of the ancient Ghandaran (North West Pakistan) god of wealth, Panika; and his consort Hariti. Probably intended to be placed in a small household shrine, it dates between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. Photo Odyssey

But how can these objects still be in such good condition after thousands of years, and most importantly, how do I know they are genuine? Alan explained: “Most antiquities have originally been buried in the ground. This might have been as part of a funeral or religious ritual, after the destruction of a site by an invading army, or by natural causes, such as Pompeii.

“Sometimes they were simply discarded as being no longer of any use or deliberately buried in the hope of later retrieval. Whatever the reason, the earth has acted as protection and, in the case of bronze objects, has imparted a hard and attractive patina.”

A Viking period dress accessory known as ‘Norse bells,’ dating from the late 10th century AD. It was believed that the tinkling sound of a small bell would scare off evil spirits and keep the wearer safe. Photo Odyssey
A Viking period dress accessory known as ‘Norse bells,’ dating from the late 10th century AD. It was believed that the tinkling sound of a small bell would scare off evil spirits and keep the wearer safe. Photo Odyssey

Such objects are fairly readily available because so much was buried. “The ancients believed the after-life would be similar to life on earth and therefore the deceased would need all the accoutrements of daily life in eternity,” Alan said.

“For example, a well-off Etruscan might be buried with the equivalent of a full dinner service, ornaments, knives, cooking utensils, decorative plaques, weapons and armor. In fact everything used in daily life.”

These two Roman silver spoons date to the 5th century AD and were reportedly found together in Roman-occupied Germania, modern day Germany. The smaller of the two was intended for eating snails, shellfish and eggs. Photo Odyssey
These two Roman silver spoons date to the 5th century AD and were reportedly found together in Roman-occupied Germania, modern day Germany. The smaller of the two was intended for eating snails, shellfish and eggs. Photo Odyssey

However, there are forgers at work and expensive pieces have been faked to deceive the unwary. Fortunately, the legitimate ancient art world is well monitored and outright fakes are usually detected soon after they enter the market, although some spectacular and extremely clever forgeries do get through.

“Basically, the rule of thumb is the same as any branch of antiques acquisition,” Alan said. “Always seek out the finest quality you can afford and buy from established dealers and auction houses – caveat emptor, buyer beware, must be the bywords.”

Any antiquities dealer worth his salt will give an unconditional guarantee of authenticity, usually in the form of a written certificate, and offer a full refund if the piece should be later proven to be other than as described.

Established dealers and auctioneers research the pieces they sell thoroughly and always put great store by provenance, when known. “The ethics of the antiquities market is a contentious issue,” Alan said.

Unlike most antiques, repairs and minor damage is not only acceptable in an antiquity, it is often to be expected, although Alan suggests avoiding pieces that have been over restored, for example, by excessive over-painting or repaired with modern additions.

When a large or rare painted pottery vessel has been reconstructed from shards it is acceptable that the joins are blended in with minimum retouching, while metal objects such as decorated Roman brooches are rarely wholly intact. In pottery, encrustation or other debris might be adhering to the surface and Roman glass vessels often have fine stress fractures.

ChristopherProudloveBoilerplate