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Sothebys: Arts of the Islamic World & India

Auction Reports

Auction Name Arts of the Islamic World & India Total Sales (GBP) 3,418,880.00
Auction Date April 29, 2026 - April 29, 2026 Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 1,990,000.00
Sale Number #L26220 High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP) 2,950,000.00
Total Lots 49
Sold Lots 37.0 Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 2,493,000.00
% of Lots Sold 75.51% High Estimate of All Lots (GBP) 3,677,000.00
Unsold Lots 12 Total Sales as a % of High Est. 92.98%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Top Sale Price Lots
Lot Number Author Name Book Title Year Published Estimate Actual Price
109

A large Qur'an leaf in gold Kufic script on blue vellum, Near East, North Africa or Southern Spain, 9th-10th century

9th-10th century GBP 400,000.00 - 600,000.00 GBP 614,400.00
159

A large and impressive illuminated Qur'an, Persia, Safavid, 16th century; with Mughal illumination, early 18th century

16th century; with Mughal illumination, early 18th century GBP 400,000.00 - 600,000.00 GBP 576,000.00
162

The Mughal Emperor Jahangir instructing his son, possibly Prince Khurram, in the art of falconry, India, Mughal, circa 1620

circa 1620 GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 GBP 384,000.00
128

‘Ala’-al-Din Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Abi al-Hazm al-Qarshi, known as Ibn al-Nafis (d.1288-89), Sharh tashrih Qanun Ibn Sina (A commentary on the anatomy in Al-Qanun of Ibn Sina), probably Iraq, Ilkhanid, dated 20 Sha'ban 734 AH/3 May 1334 AD

dated 20 Sha'ban 734 AH/3 May 1334 AD GBP 200,000.00 - 300,000.00 GBP 256,000.00
129

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Razi (known as Rhazes or Rasis, d.925), Kitab al-iklil fi'l-tibb, a treatise on medicine and health, probably Iraq, Abbasid, dated 616 AH/1219 AD

, dated 616 AH/1219 AD GBP 200,000.00 - 300,000.00 GBP 256,000.00
163

The Emperor Jahangir with Asaf Khan, India, Mughal, late 17th-early 18th century, with borders from the Late Shah Jahan Album, Mughal, circa 1650-58

circa 1650-58 GBP 150,000.00 - 200,000.00 GBP 256,000.00
122

An impressive illuminated Qur'an volume, attributable to Ya'qut al-Musta'simi, probably Baghdad, Iraq, late 13th century

late 13th century GBP 100,000.00 - 150,000.00 GBP 217,600.00
149

A bearded shaykh on a hillside, ascribed to Reza-i 'Abbasi, Persia, Safavid, dated 1035 AH/1626 AD

dated 1035 AH/1626 AD GBP 60,000.00 - 80,000.00 GBP 76,800.00
150

Nizami (d.1209), Khamsa, signed by ibn Husain Murad 'Ali Damavandi, Persia, Safavid, dated the beginning of Rabi' I 1061 AH/ 23 February 1651 AD

dated the beginning of Rabi' I 1061 AH/ 23 February 1651 AD GBP 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 GBP 64,000.00
193

An illustration from a Ramayana series: Parsurama with Rama and Sita, attributable to Purkhu and his family workshop, North India, Kangra, circa 1800-20

circa 1800-20 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 61,440.00
103

Masabih al-sunna (a compendium of Hadith), copied by Elias ibn Ahmad ibn Elias al-Nawjari, Mecca, dated 2 Dhu al-Qa'da 729 AH/4 September 1329 AD and Sha'ban 734 AH/ April-May 1334 ADAD

12th century GBP 40,000.00 - 60,000.00 GBP 51,200.00
167

An illuminated Qur'an, copied by Ahmad ibn Mulla Uthman, India, Mughal, dated 1143 AH/1730-31 AD

dated 1143 AH/1730-31 AD GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 51,200.00
194

An illustration from a Ramayana series: Ravana meeting Vishnu, attributable to Purkhu and his family workshop, North India, Kangra, circa 1800-20

circa 1800-20 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 51,200.00
168

A monumental half Qur'an section in Bihari script, North India, 19th-20th century

19th-20th century GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 48,640.00
191

An illustration to a Ramayana series: King Dasharatha bids farewell to his sons, attributable to Purkhu and his family workshop, North India, Kangra, circa 1800-20

circa 1800-20 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 44,800.00
160

A Mughal prince receiving a divine revelation, India, late 16th century

late 16th century GBP 10,000.00 - 20,000.00 GBP 38,400.00
190

An illustration from a Ramayana series: A feast organised by King Dasharatha for the rishis, attributable to Purkhu and his family workshop, North India, Kangra, circa 1800-20

circa 1800-20 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 38,400.00
234

An illustrated and illuminated prayer book, copied by Darwish Yusuf ibn Sinan and Marami al-Anqarawi, Turkey, Ottoman, dated 1186 AH/1772-73 AD

dated 1186 AH/1772-73 AD GBP 30,000.00 - 50,000.00 GBP 38,400.00
192

An illustration to a Hamir Hath series: Alauddin Khilji and Hamir Dev in battle, attributed to Sajnu, North India, Mandi, circa 1810

circa 1810 GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 35,840.00
161

An illuminated leaf from the Farhang-i Jahangiri (Persian dictionary) of Jalal al-Din Husain Inju, India, Mughal, circa 1608-9 AD

circa 1608-9 AD GBP 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 GBP 25,600.00
139

An illuminated miniature Qur'an section (juz' I to juz' V), Persia, possibly Herat, late Timurid, late 15th century

late Timurid, late 15th century GBP 15,000.00 - 25,000.00 GBP 24,320.00
177

A folio from a Polier Album: Female ascetics praying at night, India, Provincial Mughal, Lucknow, circa 1760-80

circa 1760-80 GBP 7,000.00 - 10,000.00 GBP 24,320.00
132

A rare illuminated miniature Qur’an juz' (XV), Egypt or Syria, Mamluk, 14th/15th century

14th/15th century GBP 15,000.00 - 25,000.00 GBP 20,480.00
157

An illuminated Qur'an, Persia, Qajar, 19th century

19th century GBP 8,000.00 - 12,000.00 GBP 20,480.00
106

Two illuminated Qur'an leaves in Kufic script on vellum, North Africa or Near East, 9th century

9th century GBP 8,000.00 - 12,000.00 GBP 15,360.00
  • Sotheby’s
    Shelf Life: Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper from the Library of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone
    25 June – July 7
    Sotheby’s, July 7: Ludwig van Beethoven. Autograph sketches for the overture "Die Weihe des Hauses", op.124, [1822], UNPUBLISHED. £150,000 to £200,000.
    Sotheby’s, July 7: Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, 1813, first edition, 3 volumes, contemporary half calf. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, July 7: Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass, Brooklyn, 1855, first edition, first issue, original green cloth, the Doheny copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, July 7: Binding—Sangorski & Sutcliffe—Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat, London, 1872, third edition, in a magnificent jewelled Peacock binding. £15,000 to £20,000.
    Sotheby’s, July 7: George Eliot. Middlemarch, Edinburgh and London, 1871, first edition in the original parts. £20,000 to £30,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    The Private Library:
    Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
    July 9, 2026
    Forum, July 9: Hassall (Joan) A large collection of over 300 original woodblocks of engravings for various books, v.d., with Hassall's engraver's glass water-globe (Qty) - Est. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, July 9: Eragny Press.- [Bradley (Katherine Harris) & Edith Emma Cooper], "Michael Field." Whym Chow, Flame of Love, one of only 27 copies, inscribed by Bradley, the rarest book from the press, 1914. - Est. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, July 9: [Moore (Thomas Sturge)] [Wood Engravings], 71 wood-engravings printed by David Chambers from the original blocks, the only set on Japanese Hosho paper, from an edition of 5 sets, [1970]. - Est. £3,000-4,000
    Forum Auctions
    The Private Library:
    Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
    July 9, 2026
    Forum, July 9: La Fontaine (Jean de) Contes et Nouvelles en vers, 2 vol., engraved plates after Eisen, fine early 19th century blue morocco, gilt, by Bradel l'ainé, Amsterdam [Paris], 1762. - Est. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, July 9: Erotica.- Prostitution.- Pretty Women of Paris (The); Their Names and Addresses, Qualities and Faults..., [Paris], privately printed at the Press of the Prefecture de Police, 1883. - Est. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, July 9: Vale Press.- Ricketts (Charles) & Lucien Pissarro. De la Typographie et de l'Harmonie de la Page Imprimée…, [one of 216 copies], bound in dark blue morocco tooled in gilt, by Sarah T.Prideaux, 1898. - Est. £1,000-1,500
    Forum Auctions
    The Private Library:
    Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
    July 9, 2026
    Forum, July 9: Martin (John) Illustrations of the Bible, complete set of 20 mezzotints, good impressions, rarely found in early states, [c.1831-1835]. - Est. £1,000-1,500
    Forum, July 9: Golden Cockerel Press.- Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ (The), one of 500 copies, Mary Gill's copy, Waltham St. Lawrence, 1931 with a signed proof of engraving on japon numbered 10/10 (2) - Est. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, July 9: Boccaccio (Giovanni) The Decameron, 3 vol., vol.1 extra-illustrated by John Buckland Wright with c.150 erotic original drawings in pen & ink and pencil, 1886 [extra-illustrated c.1940]. - Est. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    The Private Library:
    Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
    July 9, 2026
    Forum, July 9: Cox (Morris) Collection of Gogmagog Press Books, 35 vol., rare complete collection of printed books issued by the press, limited editions, most signed by Cox, 1957-83. - Est. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, July 9: Wynkyn de Worde.- [Terentius Afer (Publius)] [Comedie...], [Paris, Josse Badius: sold in London by Wynkyn de Worde, & others], [15 July 1504]. - Est. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, July 9: Mosley (James) Ornamented Types. Twenty-Three Alphabets from the Foundry of Louis John Pouchée, 2 vol., one of 10 copies for presentation, from an edition of 210, 1992-93. - Est. £1,000-2,000
  • Forum Auctions
    The 10th Anniversary Sale
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    July 16, 2026
    Forum, July 16: Inundation papyrus. P.Michael 4, the ‘Inundation papyrus’, a geographical account of the Nile near Canopus, in Greek, remains of two columns from a manuscript scroll on papyrus, Egypt, second century CE. £12,000-18,000
    Forum, July 16: Book of Hours, use of Sarum, manuscript on vellum, 6 full-page miniatures, with famous Middle English inscriptions, Southern Netherlands for the English market, [c.1430]. £30,000-50,000
    Forum, July 16: Qu'ran, Arabic manuscript on burnished, stencilled, and gold-flecked paper, 447ff., Sultanate Gujarat, Ahmadabad, [after 1411 but no later than 1442]. £15,000-20,000
    Forum Auctions
    The 10th Anniversary Sale
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    July 16, 2026
    Forum, July 16: Turner (William). A New boke of the natures and properties of all wines that are commonly vsed here in England, rare first edition of the first English book on wine, By William Seres, 1568. £20,000-£30,000
    Forum, July 16: Spenser (Edmund). The Faerie Queene. first edition, Printed [by John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, 1590. £30,000-40,000
    Forum, July 16: Shakespeare (William). The Comedie of Errors, extracted from the first folio, Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, 1623. £15,000-20,000
    Forum Auctions
    The 10th Anniversary Sale
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    July 16, 2026
    Forum, July 16: Fleming (Ian). Casino Royale, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1953. £40,000-60,000
    Forum, July 16: d'Agoty (Jacques-Fabien Gautier). Anatomie de la Tête, first edition, Paris, chez le Sieur Gautier, 1748. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, July 16: Martial Arts.- Lee (Bruce). 'Praying Mantis style' Kung Fu book, containing numerous annotations, diagrams and graphs in Bruce Lee's hand, c. 1960. £50,000-70,000
    Forum Auctions
    The 10th Anniversary Sale
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    July 16, 2026
    Forum, July 16: Warre (Capt. Henry James). Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory, first edition, rare hand-coloured issue, 1848. £30,000-40,000
    Forum, July 16: Norie (John William). The Marine Atlas, or Seaman's Complete Pilot for all the principal places in the known world..., 1826. £30,000-50,000
    Forum, July 16: Mao Tse-tung.- Kim Il-sung.-[Note book for visitors from China to Korea], signed by Mao and Kim, [Beijing, 1954]. £10,000-15,000