Hixenbaugh Ancient Art
Hixenbaugh Ancient Art Ltd is located at 320 East 81st Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The gallery is dedicated to handling fine authentic antiquities. All of the pieces we handle are legally and ethically acquired, in complete accordance with US and international regulations and laws concerning the import and sale of ancient objects. We deal only in authentic pieces with minimal or no restoration. All objects sold by us are guaranteed genuine and as described in perpetuity.
The director, Randall A. Hixenbaugh, has been involved in ancient art and antiquities for over 15 years. He holds a Master's Degree in Classical Archaeology and has participated in a number of archaeological excavations of Roman and Punic sites in Tunisia. An avid collector himself, he is an accomplished numismatist and a student of Sumerian, Greek, and Latin languages. He is the former Assistant Director of Royal-Athena Galleries in New York and the former Editorial Assistant for Minerva Magazine, the International Review of Ancient Art and Archaeology. He is a member of the Archaeological Institute of America and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Hixenbaugh is also a member of the Appraisers Association of America, and is qualified to perform appraisals of antiquities for insurance valuation and charitable donation.
We specialize in building collections with our clients, both public and private. Due to our in depth knowledge of the antiquities market we are often able to locate particular pieces to complement any collection. Please feel free to contact us and let us know what you are trying to find.
We acquire pieces with a very discerning eye, and one can be assured of our integrity, expertise, and the value of the objects we handle.
Hixenbaugh Ancient Art 320 East 81st Street, New York
Authenticity and Ethics
Authenticity is of paramount importance in collecting antiquities. Experience, education, and a well stocked library are the cornerstones one relies upon when attributing an ancient piece of artwork. There are two things to avoid when collecting antiquities - buying fakes and buying illegally excavated and exported material.
The first can be difficult. Many forgers aptly copy and adapt pieces of well known and well published varieties. But often they betray themselves by not paying close attention to the details and conventions of ancient craftsmanship as well as working in the proper material or medium. On the other hand, some forgers closely mimic ancient techniques but misunderstand or misinterpret ancient iconography or aesthetics. Still another group of fakes are those that were never meant to deceive. Pieces made during the height of the Egyptomania of the 18th century, or for the travelers of the Grand Tour, or in the excitement following the early excavations of Pompeii, Knossos, or sites in Etruria. These pieces now are indeed antiques but not antiquities. Unfortunately pieces in all of these categories are sometimes passed on by unscrupulous or undereducated dealers and auctioneers. There are both a great number of genuine antiquities and a great number of fakes on the market at any given time. It is the intention of Hixenbaugh Ancient Art to place all objects under the highest level of scrutiny to ascertain their veracity and correct attribution.
With regard to ethics, the artifacts and artwork of the ancients have long been a subject of study and fascintation. The Romans, themselves, were avid collectors of Egyptian and Greek art. During the Renaissance the collections formed by aristocratic antiquarians sparked academic interest in ancient civilizations which spawned a new scientific discipline - Archaeology. Through scientific excavations we have been able to verify ancient texts, establish chronologies and typologies, as well as reconstruct ancient monuments and social models. Although the American archaeological communtiy often demonizes the trade in antiquities as encouraging the looting and destruction of ancient sites. The fact remains that international sanctions such as the UNESCO agreement have proved very effective in stopping the destruction of major archaeological sites. The material available on the market, though some of it is of the highest quality and rarity, is generally well represented in museum collections, and well understood and published. Therefore, we believe responsible collecting should not only be tolerated, but encouraged, as collectors act as enthusiastic custodians of a great many objects that would otherwise be relegated to overcrowded storerooms or lost.
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