Antiques in Your Home: Art, Wealth, and History

  The Best Value Reservoir and a Trade That Never Loses

At the home of the late writer Naeem Takla, we used to gather about thirty years ago, once a week. Our group never exceeded seven people, in addition to our host. We came to read or critique short stories, exchange experiences and hobbies, and, of course, closely follow the news of the world-renowned author Naguib Mahfouz. Takla was a devoted attendee of Mahfouz’s weekly salons—held during summers at the San Stefano Hotel and winters at "Bistrodes" restaurant in Raml Station.

Tickets, Tickets:

In Alexandria’s tramways, the conductor shouts thousands of times daily as he moves among the standing and seated passengers: "Tickets, tickets!" This mundane repetition has occurred millions of times and will continue to do so. Something as simple and repetitive as this could gain value over time.

I first learned that tram tickets could become antiques when Mr. Ahmed Rayan, then the director of Al-Qawmeyya Schools, brought his cherished collection of serialized tram tickets. I witnessed his meticulous care while passing them around. First, your hands had to be clean and dry, palms open. Holding those fragile "papers" carelessly could ruin them. Instead, they were placed on one’s extended palm as if preparing to greet a loved one. I also saw rare coins—both silver and paper—including the iconic "Two-Camel Pound." 

Art and Wealth in Ordinary Homes:

As is common among middle-class families from the royal era, my father—and before him, my maternal grandfather—preserved original furniture pieces alongside clocks, stamps, small brass busts, and wooden carvings. My father even owned an antique violin, which, due to neglect, deteriorated and was ultimately discarded. We lost so much!

Among extended family and friends, some middle-class households added an artistic touch to their living rooms, parlors, and even corners of bedrooms and dining areas. This was done by selecting statues and paintings—some old, adding a sense of grandeur to the home, and others modern, created by those who followed contemporary art trends through paintings or sculptures symbolizing philosophical ideas or stances toward the world.

 King Farouk

The Great Royal Antiques:

Later, I had a chance encounter with the seasoned antique dealer and expert, Reda Mohsen. A polyglot Alexandrian fluent in French, English, and German, he could manage his day in several other languages. Having lived and traded across Europe, he asserts that the greatest royal antiques in the world are found in Egypt. Consequently, royal antiques cannot legally be exported; they can only be bought, sold, and owned by collectors and dealers within Egypt. 

Mohsen explained that the princes of the Muhammad Ali dynasty would commission the finest artisans from around the world to create unique, personalized pieces. For example, King Farouk’s bathroom cabinet, crafted entirely from pure silver and lined with soft velvet to maintain the clothing temperature, features his monogram "F" and the embossed royal Egyptian crown.

The Secret of Antique Trading: 

Mohsen emphasizes that antique trading is fundamentally a trade in "beauty," taste, and knowledge. It embodies heritage, carrying the fragrance of the past and reviving the spirit of its original creator. 

Interestingly, even the smallest items, such as a brooch, could qualify as antiques, regardless of their size. For "antique enthusiasts," grand monuments like the Great Pyramid or the Eiffel Tower are, in essence, original antiques whose value only grows over time. 

The secret to antique trading lies in knowledge and experience. As Mohsen points out, no success is possible without understanding the craft, with expertise developing through practice. Even then, dealers and collectors might encounter a piece they’ve never seen before. In such cases, that lifeless object seemingly "calls out," captivating the dealer and compelling them to evaluate its quality by scrutinizing its fine details, discovering its merits and flaws, and subsequently assessing its value.

The Shoes of Kings and Celebrities: 

A popular saying among antique traders is that a poor man’s home rarely holds treasures. They define antiques as "items owned by great individuals, connoisseurs, and the wealthy who can afford to purchase valuable artifacts." These could range from a shaving brush, a hair comb, or even a pair of shoes—as long as the item is unique, custom-made for its owner, and stamped or signed by the artisan. This includes footwear worn by kings, presidents, and celebrities. 

It’s intriguing to learn that overlooked items from middle-class families’ heritage could hold real value if properly evaluated. For instance, a letter opener with a gold or silver blade and a handle made of rhinoceros horn, or seals owned by landowners with grips made of amber or gold. Notably, gemstones like amber and "faturan" often surpass precious metals in value—facts that even the most educated individuals might not know. 

Valuable Neglect:  

Among the neglected yet valuable items in our forgotten drawers are old banknotes, photographs, and greeting cards—especially those crafted by renowned artists or photographers of kings and presidents. Other examples include old carved furniture, small statues made of marble or wood that once adorned homes, vintage *sirma* embroidery and *khayamiya* textiles, and decorative pieces atop *bureaux* and tables found in our grandparents' homes. Everything old is heritage, and every piece of heritage is an antique whose value varies with the wealth of its original owners and their homes. 

Immeasurable Wealth: 

The truth is that antique trading in Egypt is of undefined value. Some dealers in Cairo own storerooms with "goods" exceeding one billion Egyptian pounds. However, the trade’s total volume remains unknown, as many collectors operate without fixed shops or locations to display their treasures. 

Hence, antique expert Reda Mohsen advises all Egyptians, "Never sell your family’s heritage, no matter how tempting the offers. Instead, preserve it for future generations, as antiques are genuine value reservoirs whose prices never decline but continually increase." 

In conclusion, if your ancestors were wealthy or skilled artisans, search through what they left behind. You are likely to uncover art, heritage, and history that could bring unexpected wealth or even transform you into a collector or the founder of your own private museum. Why not?