Rich treasure of Islamic and Indian artwork at London auction

Bonhams Auction House, one of the most prominent auctions houses in the world, will hold its Islam and Indian Art Auction on April 19 in London. According to a statement released by Bonhams, the auction will have 315 artifacts, including rare glass items, ceramics, calligraphy, miniatures, sculptures, bronze artifacts, carpets and textiles.

Among the artifacts, an İznik tile that depicts the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque of Mecca is said to be worth around 60,000 pounds ($84,870). The tile matches artifacts featured in the world's most famous Islamic art collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Louvre, the British Museum, the Benaki Museum and the Metropolitan Museum. The auction will also put the "Müfredat Album" by Yaqut al-Mustasimi, a well-known calligrapher in Baghdad in the 13th century, up for sale. The manuscript should sell for between 100,000 pounds and 200,000 pounds. Mustasimi served as the official secretary of the last Abbasid caliph.

In addition, rare carpets and rugs made in Islamic regions and India will be up for auction. For instance, a silk Heriz rug is expected to sell for 40,000 pounds to 50,000 pounds. Another rare artifact that will be presented is an Ottoman flag, which was sown with red silk and dates to the 19th century. It is said to be worth 30,000 pounds to 40,000 pounds.

Bonhams Islam and Indian Art Department Director Oliver White said in the statement: "In the last couple of years, the interest in Islam and Indian artifacts has become more intense, and buyers began to turn towards the most valuable pieces in the market. The market continues to preserve its power since collectors who are after these valuable artifacts want to purchase antiques from more secure sources. The Islam and Indian Artifacts Auction that will take place in April can meet the demands of the collectors. Among the auctioned artifacts, the İznik tile depicting Kaaba and the Masjid al-Haram, Yaqut al-Mustasimi's rare calligraphy album dating back to the 13th century and the silk Heriz Persian rug belonging to the last quarter of the 19th century stand out."

A carved marble panel, which was made in central asia in the 15th century during the Timurid Empire, a rare openwork bronze incense burner thought to be made in 10th century Spain, a fine Kashan silhouette ware pottery vase from late 12th century Persia, a 10th century Abbasid lusterware vase from Mesopotamia, an illuminated Quran featuring a fortune album that originated in the Timurid or Safavid periods in the 15th or 16th century, a painting titled "Two Cranes Standing In A Pool," which is believed to have been painted in Mesopotamia or Tabriz circa 1370-80 and the İznik tile, which was made in 1580, will be put up for auction at the event.

Bonhams previously held an Indian and Islam Art Auction in April 2015. The auction sold firearms belonging to Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, for more than 7.4 million pound. In October 2015, a mother of pearl tray produced in Gujarat in the late 16th or early 17th century was sold for 962,500 pounds, the highest bid of the week.