Bryce Sanders talks about the ins and outs of starting an Islamic antiques collection
When you can afford to collect, anything focusing on artifacts central to your heritage makes sense. There is a big difference between holding a piece of history in your hands as opposed to a piece of your own heritage.
You have decided you want to collect Islamic antiques? This is a specialised field, although basic rules applicable throughout the antique world still apply. First, what constitutes an 'Islamic antique'? They are not making them any more. Although the world has about 46 Muslim counties stretching from Morocco to Central Asia, the serious collectable categories are organised into three empires.
The oldest is the Ottoman empire, situated around modern day Turkey. The period started in the early 14th century and ran up to 1918. The Safavid empire spanned from 1501 to 1722 and was a Shi'ite empire in the area historically known as Persia. Finally, the Mughal empire, located in and around India, started in 1526 and continued into the 19th century. All in all, the collectable periods span about 700 years.
What do you want to collect? A popular area is collecting illuminated copies of the Qur'an. Other areas include ceramics, metalwork, carpets, coins, armor, weapons, jewelry, paintings and furniture. As a collector, you will fit into one of two camps. The connoisseur collector is acquiring a few pieces across different categories, each magnificent. The philatelic collector is going for depth in a specific area. Both need knowledge. It is more practical to become an expert in one area as opposed to knowing a little about several areas.
Before you buy anything start your education by seeking out the best examples. Museum collections are the place to start. Arguably, the best collection in the world is the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art containing more than 20,000 items valued at an estimated $1.6 billion, and that was a 1994 estimate.
A collection that large is not exhibited in just one location. Many museums around the world exhibit items as part of the Khalili Collections traveling exhibitions. Visit www.khalili.org to learn when and where sections of the collection can be seen.
Famous
Back to Qur'ans. With more than 500 illuminated Qur'ans, the Khalili collection probably can not be beat. However, other museums are also known for extensive Islamic antiquity collections. The House of Islamic Antiques in Kuwait and the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo are famous for their collections.
If you travel to the US, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York or the Smithsonian in Washington DC. When in London, check out the Victoria & Albert and the British museums. The British Library has 50 illuminated Qur'ans in its collection. Other major cities have excellent collections: the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg is considered outstanding.
When you have decided what you want to collect, the next step is learning everything you can about it. This involves reading, doing research, buying art and antique magazines and becoming current, so you can ask the right questions. This preparation is necessary because your next step is finding an expert to guide you. This can be a premium dealer with recognised expertise in a specific area of collecting.
You would like them to help you as a consultant, not as a precondition to buying something? Become friends with this person. Once they understand you are sincerely interested in learning and collecting, they will pass the word to other dealers that you have a serious interest. An academic or museum professional that knows your area of interest inside and out, would also be a good resource. In business you would hire a consultant to get the advice needed to make the right decision. Use the same principle here.
Let us consider some specific areas of collecting. Ceramics is a broad category including decorative tiles on one end, and porcelain and pottery at the other. Tiles might sound boring, but a record price for an Islamic tile in 2002 was more than $100,000.
Let us look at how research comes in handy. In the US, the Antiques Roadshow was broadcast on TV from Tucson, Arizona in 2001. After the show an article appeared in the press entitled 'Cintamani and Islamic Tiles,' written by Dennis Gaffney.
In the article he quoted Islamic tile expert Anthony Slayer-Ralph: "Early Islamic artists in Damascus who made tiles using predominately green, cobalt blue, turquoise and purple, also employed the cintamani motif. The Damascus tiles rarely use the bright red pigment wielded by tile artists in the Turkish part of the Ottoman empire."
The article referenced tiles added to Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock Mosque in the 16th century. Could you imagine owning a tile with a pedigree like that? Would it not be great to explain this to your children? How do we get to the stage where we own a tile like that?
Appraiser
I interviewed Barbara Michaels, a professional fine art and antique appraiser in the US. With more than 40 years' of experience in the insurance industry, she has seen lots of antiques, written and taught on the subject, and hosted appraisal fairs in Princeton, Naples, France and other high profile locations.
She explained: "You pick up an article. Does it grab your attention? You want the 'wow' factor. You may be ready to buy mentally, but take a step backwards and exercise caution. Is the item really what the dealer says it is? You are holding a Damascus tile with a brilliant red pattern. There is a problem. Damascus artists rarely used bright red pigments. That was the Ottoman empire, a point made by the Antiques Roadshow appraiser Anthony Slayer-Ralph."
Barbara continued by explaining condition. "Many objects have multiple pieces, a jar may have a base and lid. Were they born together? Does the piece have chips and cracks? Museum-quality pieces usually do not. Certain items were produced as pairs. If you are missing the mate, the value goes down."
Next, you use your knowledge and access to outside experts to determine if you will take the next step and buy the piece. Doing your homework, however tedious, gives you the confidence you are making the right decision.
How do you judge quality? Michaels used collecting copies of the Qur'an as an example. "The paper and hand craftsmanship are major factors. Examine the calligraphy. You are looking for the quality of the inscribers' work. The quality is in the intricacy. Ultimately you are focusing on the artisanship of the book. Provenance and history add value. At a time when books were rare, beautiful examples were often in the collections of wealthy people and the nobility."
You feel ready to take the plunge. London is one of the major places to buy Islamic antiques. Sheik Nassar Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti royal family, who had assembled a major collection, bought many of the pieces in the collection at auctions in London, Paris and New York in the early 1980s.
During four centuries of the British empire, many military officers and businessmen brought home souvenirs from around the world. These found their way into private collections. Major London auction houses such as Christie's, Sotheby's and Bonham's hold regular sales of Islamic art. In addition, London has many specialist antique dealers. LAPADA is the largest association of art and antique dealers in Britain with more than 600 members. The organisation was the first trade association to institute a code of practice.
Provenance is a major risk in buying privately. The Baghdad Museum was looted during the second Gulf war. Reputable collectors do not want to acquire items with a dubious chain of ownership because they cannot realistically sell or exhibit the piece.
Your growing collection may lead to unexpected opportunities. Collectors are often generous people, visiting fellow collectors to view their treasures and discussing their shared passion.
Scholars are constantly studying works to advance knowledge in the field or research a book on the subject. Have you ever attend a blockbuster museum show of impressionist art and see a plaque below a painting: "On loan from..." or "Property of ..."? Museums often undertake major shows in specific areas of collecting. In addition to showing works from their vaults, they often borrow works from other museums and private collectors.
Spectacular
If the pieces in your collection are spectacular, they may be in demand. After amassing a significant collection sometimes their owners give their treasure to a museum so that the beauty of the objects can be enjoyed by many people. In March, 2008 the Qatar Museums Authority received a donation of an antique coin collection from Qatari businessman Omar Hamad Al Mana.
Building a collection of Islamic antiques uses the same rules you apply in business. Start by seeking out the best examples to gain a reference point. When you have determined your area of collecting, learn everything you can and enlist the services of an expert to provide unbiased guidance. Focus on quality.
Perform due diligence. Make your purchases through the right channels so you have a high level of comfort concerning authenticity and province. As your collection grows, share it with fellow collectors and the world.
Building a collection of Islamic antiques uses the same rules you apply in business. Start by seeking out the best examples to gain a reference point.
Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc.
Islamic Business and Finance 2008
