After much anticipation, Azca Auctions is delighted to announce their inaugural sale, Arts of India and the Islamic Lands, taking place on Thursday 20th June at 11.00am BST.
The sale comprises over 250 lots showcasing the extraordinary diversity and celebrating the artistic craftsmanship of South, Southeast and Central Asia, as well as the Iranian plateau, the Middle East all the way to the Mediterranean shores.
This longed-for, inaugural auction opens with a remarkable Northern London private collection of Indian artefacts, previously unseen in the market. “An Eye for Detail” is meant to illustrate not only the artistic achievements and talents of Indian craftsmen, but also the multi-faceted cultural and religious reality the Indian Subcontinent managed to foster and keep alive throughout centuries. Three generations of collecting collide into a very personal, subjective and unusual selections of tools, vessels, paintings, accessories, photographs and decorative lots that range from £150 to £6,000 GBP, offering a chance to both seasoned buyers and new collectors to make their pick.
Following the private collection selection, the remaining 150 lots are divided between the Arts of South Asia and the Arts of the Islamic Lands, two worlds that, despite their substantial geographic distances, have always been tightly interlinked. Among the highlights, one can count a selection of eight official courtly album portraits of Mughal Emperors (lot 164); a large Qajar polychrome-painted moulded pottery tile with a banquet scene replicating the Safavid frescoes of the Chihil Sotun Palace in Isfahan (lot 206); and lastly, an elegant and intact 16th-century Ottoman Iznik plate with saz leaves and arabesques (lot 262).
Dive into a world of wonders and for any specific query, please do not hesitate to contact our Head of Department, Beatrice Campi at beatrice@azcaauctions.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Lot 194
AN ENGRAVED BRASS MINIATURE ASTROLABE Qajar Iran, second half 19th century
Unsold
Estimated at £800 - £1,200
Lot 200
A LARGE BOLD NASTA'LIQ CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL Qajar Iran, late 19th century
Unsold
Estimated at £400 - £600
Lot 211
A POLYCHROME-PAINTED LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ LIDDED BOX Qajar Iran, 19th century
Unsold
Estimated at £500 - £700
Lot 213
λ A QAJAR WALRUS IVORY-HILTED KHANJAR STEEL DAGGER Qajar Iran, late 19th - early 20th century
Unsold
Estimated at £400 - £600
Lot 222
AN ARMENIAN SILVER AND NIELLO SNUFFBOX Armenia, Ottoman Eastern Provinces, ca. 1890 - 1910
Unsold
Estimated at £200 - £300
Lot 223
A COSMETIC TRAVEL POUCH WITH APPLICATOR Qajar Iran, late 18th - 19th century
Unsold
Estimated at £150 - £200
Lot 233
A COPPER LUSTRE-PAINTED KASHAN-REVIVAL STAR-SHAPED POTTERY TILE Iran, 18th - 19th century
Unsold
Estimated at £300 - £500
Lot 248
AN UNMARKED IRAQI SILVER AND NIELLO DISH Possibly Basra, Iraq, ca. 1940s - 1950s
Unsold
Estimated at £400 - £600
Lot 253
A CHINESE PORCELAIN-INSPIRED BLUE AND WHITE SAFAVID POTTERY BOWL Iran, 18th century
Unsold
Estimated at £200 - £300
Lot 255
A MONOCHROME TURQUOISE-GLAZED KASHAN POTTERY EWER Kashan, Iran, 12th century
Unsold
Estimated at £200 - £300