Friday, September 13, 2013

Trust for Ancient Art Crowdfunding Campaign: 12 Days Remaining…

We have 12 days remaining (ending September 24, 2013, 11:59 pm Pacific Time) in our Trust for Ancient Art funding campaign and we’ve raised $417 of our $2,000 goal. We are using the “Flexible Funding” model, meaning the campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its goal.

If you’ve been following the progress of our campaign on Indiegogo, you are aware of the work our Trust has done, gifting over 40 examples of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Cypriot and Near Eastern art to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California, the University of Missouri at Kansas City Classical Studies Program, and the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. But all the antiquities set aside in 2010 for gifting have now been disbursed, and with the demands of Clio Ancient Art and family, we can no longer fund the Trust entirely out of pocket. Hence, the phenomenon of “crowdfunding”, using the Indiegogo website ( http://igg.me/at/Ancient-Art-Education-for-All/x/4074220 ).

Here is the Campaign’s Indiegogo web page: http://igg.me/at/Ancient-Art-Education-for-All/x/4074220. It includes:
* Detailed descriptions of what the Trust does and why, what it has accomplished so far, and plans for the future.
* Periodic updates.
* Short video appeal.
* Photo gallery of every antiquity the Trust has gifted to date.
* Descriptions of “perks” we’re offering to donors at various levels.

All funds will be directed toward acquiring and dispersing appropriate examples of ancient art to carefully selected public museums and university collections. The Trust is not a registered non-profit, tax exempt. Gifts are not tax deductible. For some donors this may mean it makes more sense to give a modest gift of $30-50, rather than a large gift. We accept gifts of any amount in US, Canadian, Australian and UK currencies. Only 2 donors have so far claimed their ancient Roman coin “perks” so we have plenty of these left if you wish to donate $30 or more (31 Canadian Dollars or 19 British Pounds).

Please visit the Trust’s page on Indiegogo, read through it, view the objects we’ve gifted, watch the short video. No doubt you will find this effort worthy of a contribution.

Meanwhile, a few exciting developments to share with you –

* We are in discussions with the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC about initiating a temporary gallery of ancient Mediterranean art sometime next year. This would utilize the Mint’s existing collection of antiquities (long hidden in storage and never shared with the public), gifts from our own Clio Ancient Art, and from private owners. As the Trust has now gifted all its holdings and is working to acquire more (part of the idea behind this campaign), Clio will offer several high quality items for display in this exhibit, part of a 1-year loan.

* We have completed the process of working with the Mint Museum to properly classify and catalog the 120 or so antiquities so long hidden in their basement, allowing us to assist them in possibly purging the collection of less display-worthy items.

* We have identified a source for several quality Trust acquisitions for next year. Once this campaign has ended we will share more details on this point with donors to the campaign.

* Finally, curatorial staff at the Mint Museum continue to share their enthusiasm for the 14th Century Medieval English floor tile gifted to them by the Trust last month. They recognize it as an important addition, filling a major gap in their extensive holdings of English ceramic materials.

Thanks again to everyone who has made a gift so far. Your perks will mail out the last week of September. And please continue to share information about our campaign to all who might be interested, at http://igg.me/at/Ancient-Art-Education-for-All/x/4074220

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
http://www.clioancientart.com/
Roman limestone figure of a partially draped youth with pomegranate and bird, 1st-2nd Century, gifted to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA, May, 2012

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Clear vs Iridescent: Ancient Glass Collector Preferences

There are many varieties of ancient glass, spanning over 2,500 years of production and successive cultures, available both on the legitimate antiquities market and in museum collections on view to the public. The vast majority of ancient glass is relatively colorless Roman blown glass (as opposed to core formed, rod formed, mold made, slumped, cast or other techniques), dating between the 1st and 4th Centuries AD, a time when blown glass was produced on a truly industrial scale.

Today, serious collectors of Roman blown glass seem to fall into 2 categories:

1. Those who prefer their glass clear, with minimal iridescence or encrustation from burial in the ground. Here is an example –
Image

2. Those who prefer their glass brightly iridescent, with colorful rainbow effects caused by extended burial in highly acidic or highly alkaline soils. Here is an example –
Image

These are quite understandable reasons behind these choices. Those who prefer clear, relatively unaltered glass do so mainly because they wish to view the artifacts in something as close as possible to their original condition when in use. Many collectors who prefer highly iridescent glass do so because they simply enjoy the sometimes dazzling effects created by nature’s alteration of a man made surface.

The trend even extends to some older museum collections, where curators have selected only the most iridescent examples of Roman glass, hoping for an “Ohhh” and “Ahhh” effect from visitors, while neglecting the importance of displaying Roman glass in a condition as near as possible to the original “working” condition.

It is worth noting that some examples of ancient Roman blown glass were once highly iridescent but were “cleaned” of their iridescent surfaces. This destructive practice, which essentially removes much of the mass of the artifact, was common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Experienced collectors will often shy away from such pieces, as the stripping away of their iridescence has left them with a clear surface but paper thin and fragile.

Here are some examples on our website of both highly iridescent Roman glass:
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i98.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i92.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i62.html

and of relatively clear and unaltered Roman glass:
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i144.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i59.html

Friday, September 6, 2013

Latest News from the Trust for Ancient Art

19 days remaining in the Trust for Ancient Art's crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo. We.ve so far raised $417 of our $2,000 goal (about 21%).

We have some exciting developments to tell you about.

* We are in discussions with the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC about initiating a temporary gallery of ancient Mediterranean art sometime next year. This would utilize the Mint's existing collection of antiquities (long hidden in storage and never shared with the public), gifts from our own Clio Ancient Art, and from private owners. As the Trust has now gifted all its holdings and is working to acquire more (part of the idea behind this campaign), Clio will offer several high quality items for display in this exhibit, part of a 1-year loan.

* We have completed the process of working with the Mint Museum to properly classify and catalog the 120 or so antiquities so long hidden in their basement, allowing us to assist them in possibly purging the collection of less display-worthy items.

* We have identified a source for several quality Trust acquisitions for next year. Once this campaign has ended we will share more details on this point.

* Finally, curatorial staff at the Mint Museum continue to share their enthusiasm for the 14th Century Medieval English floor tile gifted to them by the Trust last month. They recognize it as an important addition, filling a major gap in their extensive holdings of English ceramic materials.

Thanks again to everyone who has made a gift so far. Your perks will mail out the last week of September. And please continue to share information information about our campaign to all who might be interested, at http://igg.me/at/Ancient-Art-Education-for-All/x/4074220

Friday, August 30, 2013

Labor Day Sale!

 Hello Clio Customers, Friends & Fans:

Weekend Only Flash Sale -- Beginning this Friday, August 30, 12:00 Noon Eastern Standard Time, ending Monday, September 2, 12:00 Noon Eastern Standard Time.

15% OFF ALL ANTIQUITIES
10% OFF ALL ANCIENT COINS
10% OFF EVERYTHING IN OUR BOOKS, CATALOGS, FRAMED & UNFRAMED ART SECTION

Website: http://www.clioancientart.com/

We've also added several nice ancient coins to our ancient coins section (21 lots to choose from: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c18_p1.html), as well as several nice Roman and Viking small bronze objects (fibulae and rings). Here are some links -
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i449.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i445.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i452.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i454.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i453.html

Finally, we have just 26 days left in our crowd funding campaign for the Ancient Art Trust and we've raised only $417 of our $2,000 target. If you can, please consider a gift of any amount to help us continue our important work with museums and universities: http://igg.me/at/Ancient-Art-Education-for-All/x/4074220

Thanks again for looking and best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art

Thursday, August 29, 2013

A Few More Additions To Our Website...

All very simple and affordable. Links directly to the detail pages for these items are included here.
Image
Roman Empire, Aurelian, AD 317-326. Silvered Antoninianus
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i451.html
Image
Roman Knee Fibula (Brooch)
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i452.html
Image
Viking Bronze Penannular Brooch
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i449.html
Image
Roman "Kraftig Profilierte" Fibula (Brooch)
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i454.html

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Antiquities Added to Our Website

We've added several items to our online stock of antiquities, many of them quite affordable. Here's a sample (with links):


Roman Enameled Bronze Finger Ring
CULTURE / REGION OF ORIGIN: Roman Empire (England)
DATE: 2nd-early 4th Century CE
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i445.html 

 
Crispus, Son of Constantine the Great
 Caesar, AD 317-326. Bronze AE-3
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i446.html





Postumus, British Usurper Emperor 
AD 260-269. Silver Antoninianus
http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i448.html 

More items being added next week (1st week of September). Check back frequently at:
http://www.clioancientart.com/index.html