Mysore’s tiger sword and Baron Rothschild’s carpet top the “Islamic World Arts Auction”
In the month of October, the art world returns with force, bringing with it new exhibitions, auctions and art weeks, and in this field the British capital takes the lead, bringing out its best for art lovers. In a busy artistic atmosphere, crowned by “Frieze Art Week,” London auction houses compete to offer their auctions for the arts of the Islamic world and contemporary art from the Middle East.
I begin my journey with seasonal arts, and start from “Christie’s House,” where the entrance, stairs, and even the floors are decorated with excerpts from the artworks that the house presents this season. However, my destination is not decorated or painted with colors. I head to one of the ground floor rooms whose shelves are filled with pieces of art. There, a box of magic, beauty, and history opens for us, which includes pieces from the upcoming “Islamic Art Auction” (October 26).
Gilded paper plate from India, 17th century (Christie’s)
Sarah Plumbly, a specialist in the arts of the Islamic world, receives me to present some of what she is preparing with the house’s team for this season’s “Auction of the Arts of the Islamic and Indian World.” She chooses some of the most important pieces to talk about, and their importance, and from them we delve into a world of historical stories related to kings, sultans, craftsmen, and others. Here we review some of them:
Tipu Sultan’s sword from the 18th century (Christie’s)
Mysore tiger swords
Swords, daggers and equipment are important and desirable items in any auction of Islamic art. Many of them are for decoration and for use on official occasions, and some may have been used in various battles. Here every piece has a story and history, some of which open doors to history that we do not know. Bumblebee shows us a sword with an ornate golden hilt. Its grip is shaped like a tiger. The entire hilt represents the tiger’s body while its head is in the foreground. It is not like other swords. It is a sword from the arsenal of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Sultanate of Mysore, who challenged the British at the end of the 18th century. He was known as the Tiger of Mysore and used the tiger as his symbol to decorate his throne and weapons.
“This sword is considered the most important piece in Tipu Sultan’s arsenal (1796 AD). Although there are three similar swords in terms of execution, this particular sword was used by the Sultan himself.” The expert comments and adds: “The three swords were given to King George III after the defeat and death of Tipu, the second was given to Edward Lord Clive, and the third was given to Colonel Wallis, and the sword has remained with his family since that time and is on display in the family palace in Cornwall.” Plumbly explains that the palace located in the Port Elliot estate contains a large number of fine works of art by the likes of Rembrandt and Van Dyck, but the costs of preserving them are very high. That’s why the family decided to sell a piece of property, to provide the money needed for restoration.
The sword is for sale at an estimated value of (20,000 – 30,000 British pounds). Here I wonder if the price is reasonable, especially since a similar piece was sold at an auction at “Dar Bonhams” for approximately 14 million British pounds? Bumblebee tells me that the initial price is reasonable, and it is expected that bids will raise the final price.
A funny piece of information that she points out is that the prices of pieces associated with Tipu Sultan vary according to their close lineage to the Sultan himself. “We have in the auction two other swords that were made for Tipu Sultan’s army, and they have no connection to the Sultan himself,” and about the sword in front of us, she points out that “there is a painting depicting the Sultan.” Tipu drawing an identical sword. I’m drawn to the floral patterns on the sword’s page, and Plumbly points out that Tipu imported the iron used in swords from Europe and then added the handle with his own tiger logo.
It also indicates that objects associated with Tipu Sultan have a special audience; He was “very popular, and he had followers, perhaps because he was a Muslim ruler in India who was fighting the British. In all cases, he was a person who attracted attention.”
Bronze incense burner from northeastern Iran in the shape of a lion (Christie’s)
My congratulations, Khorasan
In front of me on the table sits a huge incense burner from northeastern Iran in the shape of a lion ready to pounce. We can imagine the bronze incense burner emitting its fragrant smoke in one of the ancient palaces, drawing for us a picture from the pages of history in the twelfth century at the time it was made. The piece is the second largest known example of an incense burner of this shape.
We know that lion-shaped incense burners were produced in various sizes, starting with the massive but atypical example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art signed by Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali and dated 577/1181-2 AD, and measuring 82.6 cm high To (17 cm). While the Metropolitan Museum’s model is made of sheet metal, supposedly to scale, the majority, as here, are die-cast. The piece is offered at an estimated price ranging between (400,000 and 600,000 pounds sterling).
Iznik ceramic dish from 16th century Türkiye (Christie’s)
Iznik pottery dish
No Islamic art auction is devoid of pieces of Turkish Iznik pottery, and here we see another example of that type of pottery that has attracted collectors and those interested in Islamic arts over the years. Why is that? The expert takes us back to the beginning, to the Turkish city of Iznik, whose name this type of pottery is associated with. “Iznik pottery was the Ottoman sultans’ answer in the 16th century to the spread of Chinese ceramics. They ordered the construction of stoves in the city of Iznik, where pieces of pottery that imitated the Chinese character were produced in “Initially, basic colors such as white and blue, and even floral designs were used, but over time, the craftsmen in Iznik began to innovate.”
“This dish in front of us here is interesting,” the expert continues her explanation, “We know that craftsmen began experimenting with colors starting in 1570 AD, and that is what we see here. The basic color is closer to the common red color at the time, but the craftsman who made this dish was not in perfect condition.” Control, and did not maintain the dark shade of red; This is why the color looks a bit faded, I personally find it attractive that way, but the result may not be what the craftsman imagined. Another innovation is what we see at the bottom of the plate, which was painted purple, a color that was not yet common. That is why we find that the craftsman tested it in an inconspicuous place.”
To answer your question about the importance of Iznik ceramics, as it was one of the pieces that art lovers sought to acquire from the beginning, we find examples dating back to the 16th century of Iznik ceramics exported to Europe. Another attractive factor is that it is decorative, and appeals to everyone in the East and West. The dish is offered at an estimated price of £80,000-£120,000.
A Damascene room dating back to Syria during the Ottoman era, dated 1790 AD (Christie’s)
Damascene room
One of the most beautiful pieces that can be seen in museums and auction houses are the Damascene rooms, which consist of panels of gilded and painted wood that form the walls, in addition to decorated doors. In the auction is a model of these exquisite pieces. The room consists of three wooden panels forming the walls and four double doors decorated with flowers and fruit bowls, two with open windows and upper frames bearing verses of Arabic poetry.
The room dates back to Syria during the Ottoman era in 1790 AD, and its price ranges between (40 thousand and 60 thousand pounds sterling). The Damascus Room is considered a winter sitting room, where it receives visitors. It was widely used at the end of the period of Ottoman rule in Syria, and it appears from its large size and fine decorations that it was Part of the home of a wealthy family. There are examples of Damascene rooms in international museums such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Metropolitan in New York, and the Victoria & Albert in London.
The book “Conquests of the Two Holy Mosques” signed by Mir Hadi bin Mir Ibrahim, Abu Qubais, Mecca (Christie’s)
«Conquests of the Two Holy Mosques»
The auction also includes an important copy of the book “Conquests of the Two Holy Mosques”, signed by Mir Hadi bin Mir Ibrahim, Abu Qubays, Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, dated 1003 AH / 1594-95 AD (estimate: £20,000 – £30,000) The book used as evidence A travel guide for pilgrims that includes supplications for different stages of the journey to Mecca and Medina. It also includes various drawings, and this copy is of special importance because it was written on Mount Abu Qubais, and it includes 18 paintings that also date back to the same time as the text of the manuscript.
16th century carpet from northern Persia (Christie’s)
Baron Edmond de Rothschild carpet
The upcoming auction includes more than eighty rare rugs, with examples from the oasis cities of East Turkestan, the silk workshops of master weavers in Istanbul, to village looms in the Caucasus and central Anatolia.
Featured here is a 16th-century carpet from northern Persia. The auction catalog indicates that it was probably woven between 1565 and 1575 AD by skilled artists using the finest materials. It is still in exceptional condition with the richness of the colours. It was produced during the “Golden Age.” » for weaving carpets. Today, most examples of this quality are in museums, with only a few remaining in private hands. This rug has graced the collections of some of the greatest patrons and collectors including Baron Edmund de Rothschild and Anne and Gordon Getty. The carpets are offered at an estimated price of (two million – three million pounds sterling).
