London - Arabstoday
Some of the works at the Islamic auction are expected to fetch over £100,000
Revered London auction house, Christie’s, is preparing for a week of Islamic art.Islamic Art Week will feature five sales, offering collectors the opportunity to bid on works with exceptional provenance.
Showcasing exquisite works of art, some dating back to the ninth century the sales will feature different events including Oriental rugs and carpets, art of Islamic and Indian worlds, and the Saeed Motamed collection.
The Motamed collection in particular will be a major draw. Motamed collected Iranian art, and art from all over the Islamic world for over 40 years. Over 600 lots will make up the sale, with an estimated combined total of over one million pounds. A part of the profits raised will be donated to charitable organisations.
According to the auction house, a private collection donated to benefit the University of Oxford will take place on April 25, 2013. Full proceeds of the sale will be used to support a “curatorship at the Bodleian Libraries and also a post in Sasanian studies.”
The final day of sales will present property from Adrienne Minassian, to benefit Brown University in the arts of Islam.
Some of the works are expected to fetch over £100,000.
The sales will take place between April 22-26.
Chrisitie’s is famed for being the world’s leading art business, with offices in over 50 different countries, and yearly sales totaling $5.7 billion.