Let's begin with a few definitions to avoid confusion:
Antiquities are almost universally considered to be archaeological artifacts. Though there is no concrete definition, I consider any piece dating from prehistory to the end of the Middle Ages an antiquity. Additionally, items must be made or altered by humans in some way. FOSSILS ARE NOT ANTIQUITIES.
Antiques are items over 100 years old. I consider anything from the beginning of the Renaissance to the Edwardian period or the Belle Epoque to be antique. The only exception to this rule is cars. An automobile may be considered an antique at 50 years, and a classic after 25. However, even this definition is not set in stone. Your car is only considered classic after 25 years if said car does not suck. A Bentley, a Rolls, or a muscle car is a classic. Your '87 Honda is not.
Vintage is generally considered to be any item between 20 and 100 years old. The more I collect, however, the more discerning I get. My own personal definition applies only to items between 50 and 100 years old.
Retro is a term I hate, honestly. It doesn't really mean anything, though things described this way are usually between 20 and 50 years old.
Collectible is at the bottom of the antique ladder. Collectibles are things marketed as "potential future antiques." I don't mean to be cynical, but if it's sold on an infomercial at 3 am, it will never be worth anything. Sorry to burst your bubble. Also, items today are mass produced, so if you're hanging onto your collection of 350 Beanie Babies for any reason other that sentimental ones, you're probably just wasting space.
Now, this post is about buying antiquities. I've always assumed that I would never be able to afford anything on the antiquities market, but while researching for my article on piercings, I realized I was incorrect. In fact, antiquities are often cheaper than antiques because they are more plentiful and expectations of condition aren't as high. Sure, a lot of the pieces would be an investment for somebody like me, but not an overly taxing one.
However, I need to make an ethical preface before I go any further. The antiquities black market trade is one of the most lucrative in the world, and is rampant, despite international treaties. Most of the looters who are caught and prosecuted here in the States are well-meaning but stupid wannabe archaeologists who use metal detectors to disturb cemeteries and battlefields, or who discover caches of Indian pottery and keep mum about their findings. I'm not saying this is okay, but this kind of looting is fairly small-scale and mostly to enhance two-bit private collections. When an artifact is removed from its original context, it loses much of its value. Yes, it's still cool to look at, but without any context, studying an object is kind of pointless. Museum curators, historians, and archaeologists often clash over the ethics of purchasing illegally obtain items. Curators want to ensure artifacts are protected and continue to remain available to the public and academic community. Historians and archaeologists argue vehemently against purchasing illegal pieces, claiming it only encourages further looting. It's a real Catch-22.
The bigger threat comes from organized crime. Antiquities are the third most lucrative black market commodity after drugs and arms. The Mafia, Al Qaeda, and drug cartels in the Americas are all known to engage in the trade of antiquities. These looters are not nice people. And if you purchase an artifact of uncertain provenance from an unaccredited dealer, you may very well be bankrolling acts of terror, drug smuggling, arms smuggling, murder, or human trafficking.
Fortunately, the Association of International Antiquities Dealers (AIAD) has a register of accredited dealers. Here are some that I would be willing to do business with:
Artemission. S Kensington, London. They have a large, high-quality selection, reasonably priced. Have a section of pieces under $400.
Byzantine bronze ring with peacock. 300s AD. US size 9. $280.
Aton Gallery.. Oberhausen, Germany. Good selection, EXTREMELY good prices. Free shipping anywhere in the world. Specializes in Egyptian artifacts.
Bes amulet. Egypt. 664-332 BC. $86.10.
BB-antiken&asiatika. Friedberg, Germany. Specializes in Egyptian objects. Small selection overall, but very good selection of objects under $125.
Scarab. 664-32 BC. $78.
Clio Ancient Art. Alameda, CA. A really nice selection, suitable for all budgets.
Roman bronze fibula. 1st century. $100.
Those are only a few of the sites that I found, and I've decided to look into starting a my own antiquities collection. I decided the other day that if I can tolerate having my ears pierced for the rest of the year, I'm going to splurge and buy myself a pair of ancient Roman earrings.
For a complete list of dealers licensed by the AIAD, visit their website.
To learn more about the ethics of the antiquities trade, visit Chasing Aphrodite or Saving Antiquities. I don't necessarily agree with all the opinions expressed by the latter site, but they provide another totally valid perspective.
And remember, if you decide to purchase an ancient artifact, please buy it from a legitimate and reputable dealer! We study history to improve our current situation, so if acquiring a piece of history proves detrimental to those living today, it is truly not worth it.
Always,
Callie R.
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