I have not created any entries on this blog since August 2020, and with good reason. Nearly two years ago, I quietly terminated my antiquities business, Clio Ancient Art, bringing to an end twelve satisfying and enjoyable years of involvement in the trade. I’ve since permanently shut down Clio’s pages on various online selling platforms.
The reasons for my decision are numerous, having to do in part with the ever-increasing regulation of the antiquities market, and a flood of fakes and forgeries on the market — mostly very easy to detect, but making the sale of legitimate pieces more difficult to the casual or beginning collector. The decision by many of the leading auction houses to phase out large antiquities sales with objects in a wide range of prices in favor of a few very expensive pieces in each sale also made the market more restrictive and elitist.
But more than anything, my decision was influenced by my own path to being a working artist; that is, someone who generates a substantial portion of their income from the sale of their own artwork. With my focus on torch work glass and handbuilt ceramics, much of my work is greatly influenced by my experiences in the antiquities trade and my art history and archaeology background.
This blog will stay in place as an archive of information available to all. For those interested in my own artwork, you may visit my other blog here (opens in a new tab) — https://pastpresentartsandcrafts.wordpress.com/ or my Etsy shop here (opens in a new tab) — https://www.etsy.com/shop/PastPresentArtCraft
Clio Ancient Art & Antiquities 