LONDON – Christie’s is proud to announce its upcoming live auction, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets, to be held at its London headquarters on October 24. This highly anticipated event will feature a meticulously curated selection of carpets, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, works on paper, and metalwork from across the Islamic world, showcasing artifacts that span over a millennium of history. Leading the auction is an exceptionally rare, previously unrecorded silk Safavid Polonaise carpet, likely originating from Isfahan, central Persia, in the early 17th century (estimated value: £1,000,000 – 2,000,000 | US$1,300,000 – 2,600,000). Additionally, the sale will highlight a pair of extraordinarily rare ‘bevelled’ Sasanian Silver Bottles from Iran, dating back to the 6th or 7th century, decorated in a style that foreshadows early Islamic ornamentation seen in Samarra (estimated value: £200,000 – 300,000 | US$270,000 – 390,000). The survival of these bottles as a pair makes them particularly remarkable.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS
Among the notable highlights is one of two exquisite watercolours from the esteemed Impey album, compiled by Sir Elijah (1732-1809) and Lady Mary Impey (1749-1818). One piece features a Lineated Barbet (psilopogon zeylanicus) perched on a juniper tree, painted in Calcutta, India, and dated 1778 by the master artist Zayn al-Din (estimated value: £120,000 – 180,000 | US$160,000 – 240,000). The album epitomizes the zenith of company school painting, with the two folios on offer representing some of the finest works from the album’s inception.
Also featured is a stunning reversible five-strand diamond-set pearl necklace from North India, dating back to the late 19th century (estimated value: £40,000 – 60,000 | US$53,000 – 78,000). This necklace is part of an exceptional collection of 18 pieces of fine Indian jewelry up for auction, marking the first time since 2019 that such a collection has been offered. The estimates for these pieces range from £300 to £60,000 | US$400 – 78,000.
Another significant highlight is an important Florentine portrait of Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520 – 1566), created by the Circle of Cristofano dell’ Altissimo, Florence, Italy, circa 1600 (estimated value: £200,000 – 300,000 | US$270,000 – 390,000). Süleyman the Magnificent was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. This portrait is closely related to a series commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici for the Uffizi, which helped popularize the image of Süleyman across Europe.
Sara Plumbly, Head of Department for Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, expressed her excitement: We are delighted to present this sale, which brings together extraordinary highlights from across the region. It is particularly thrilling to bring to the market the Collection of Paul Loewi, the stockbroker of the renowned bibliophile Chester Beatty. Loewi collected with the same discerning eye as his friend, and the star of this collection, a Safavid Khamsa of Nizami, is a superb example of early 16th-century luxury manuscript production. It has been published and exhibited numerous times throughout the 20th century.
RUGS AND CARPETS HIGHLIGHTS
This season’s selection of over 100 rugs and carpets is led by a rare, large-format Silk Safavid Polonaise carpet (illustrated on page 1), with an estimated value of £1,000,000 – 2,000,000 | US$1,300,000 – 2,600,000. This remarkable new discovery, woven in Persia during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great (1588-1629), has been preserved in outstanding condition in a Japanese private collection until very recently. Christie’s has achieved the four highest auction prices for Safavid ‘Polonaise’ rugs in recent years.
Building on the success of the April 2024 sale, Sultans of Silk: The George Farrow Collection Part II continues to spotlight the exquisite silk rugs crafted by the Koum Kapi master weavers of Istanbul. This collection emphasizes the work of master weaver Hagop Kapoudjian and includes four signed silks, seven attributable rugs, and several of his personal hand-drawn cartoons. Two of the highest prices ever achieved for Koum Kapi rugs at auction were from the first part of the Farrow Collection at Christie’s London in April 2024. Featured in this collection is a Silk Koum Kapi Rug from Istanbul, Turkey, circa 1920 (estimated value: £20,000 – 30,000 | US$27,000 – 39,000).
The auction also includes A London Collection, amassed over four decades by a distinguished private collector, featuring iconic examples of carpet design from the Caucasus and Anatolia. Highlights include a Silk and Metal-Thread Chinese Palace Carpet from the Qing Dynasty, probably Beijing, late 19th century, woven for the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (estimated value: £40,000 – 60,000 | US$53,000 – 78,000). These ‘Palace’ carpets were woven for various imperial buildings in Beijing. Another highlight is an Agra Rug from North India, circa 1890, featuring a ‘sickle-leaf’ design (estimated value: £12,000 – 16,000 | US$16,000 – 21,000).
This upcoming auction promises to be a landmark event, offering an unparalleled opportunity to acquire some of the most exquisite and historically significant pieces from the Islamic and Indian worlds.
