Sotheby's inaugural auction of treasures from Imperial India attracts bidding from around the world
October 10, 2013: Sotheby’s inaugural auction of Art of Imperial India held in London attracted bidding from around the globe, achieving a total of £1,837,925 or 182,598,304 INR (est. £1.5-2.1m). Over 90 exquisite objects exemplifying the broad artistic traditions of Imperial India were presented for sale, encompassing almost 500 years of every kind of decorative art produced in the region.
The star lot of the sale, a rare enamelled and bejewelled gold pandan box, sold to a bidder in the auction room for £662,500 or 65,819,539 INR, more than double its pre-sale high estimate. An important group of 11 works relating to Tipu Sultan were also highly-sought after, selling for a combined amount of £389,425 or 38,689,470 INR. Tipu Sultan’s sword was bought for £98,500 or 9,785,999 INR.
Benedict Carter, Director, Head of Auction Sales Middle East, said, “Interest in Indian works of art has been growing in recent years and the strong prices achieved at yesterday’s auction bear testament to the strength of this market and the increasing demand for desirable works relating to the Indian world.”
Post your comment