Sotheby’s Islamic, Orientalist and Middle Eastern art sales in London brought a combined £14,819,216 / $20,050,850, against a combined estimate of £10,424,000 to £15,645,000. It was the highest totaling season for the group since April 2023, up 20 percent on last April, with 2,500 visitors to the presale exhibition.
The Arts of the Islamic World & India sale led the series at £11.2m / $15.2m (est. £6.7m to £10.3m), the highest total for the category since April 2023 and up 30 percent on last April, with 64 percent of lots sold above their high estimates and participation from 25 countries. The top lot was a rare and monumental brass astrolabe commissioned for Aqa Afzal and made by Qaim Muhammad and Muhammad Muqim, which sold for £2,042,000 (est. £1.5m to £2.5m, lot 164), an auction record for an astronomical instrument from the Islamic world.
Two important collections of Iznik pottery, held within their respective families for well over a century, surpassed their high estimates. The Ralph Brocklebank Collection achieved over three times its high estimate at £994,560, led by an Iznik polychrome pottery jug from circa 1580 at £230,400 (est. £25,000 to £35,000, lot 215). The Sir Alan Barlow Collection was 100 percent sold at £956,000, more than double its high estimate, with a polychrome dish of circa 1590 reaching £256,000 (est. £50,000 to £80,000, lot 204).
Indian lots drew lively bidding. A painting of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir instructing his son in falconry achieved over five times its high estimate at £384,000 (est. £50,000 to £70,000, lot 162), and a painting of Krishna and Radha attributed to the master artist Chokha sold for nearly five times its high estimate at £384,000 (est. £60,000 to £80,000, lot 181). A large Qur’an leaf in gold Kufic script on blue vellum, created in the 9th to 10th century, made £614,400 (est. £400,000 to £600,000, lot 109), while a 16th-century illuminated Qur’an sold for £576,000 (est. £400,000 to £600,000, lot 159).
The Modern and Contemporary Middle East sale totaled £1.7m / $2.2m (est. £1.6m to £2.3m), with over 60 percent of lots sold above their high estimates. Jewad Selim’s Nalini (Mrinalini Sarabhai) II sold for over double its high estimate at £307,200 (est. £80,000 to £120,000, lot 4), and Baya Mahieddine’s Untitled sold for seven times its high estimate to set an auction record for the artist at £217,600 (est. £20,000 to £30,000, lot 1).
The Orientalist Art sale totaled £1.9m / $2.6m (est. £1.8m to £2.6m). Halil Paşa’s The Four Seasons set an auction record for the artist at £537,600 (est. £200,000 to £300,000, lot 21), and Charles Robertson’s The Wailing Wall doubled its high estimate at £332,800 (est. £100,000 to £150,000, lot 6).
(Press Release)
