ISLAMIC & INDIAN ART

ISLAMIC AND INDIAN ART AUCTIONS

Created in 2009 under the impetus of Lucien Arcache, the Islamic & Indian Arts sales have been run since 2016 by Anne-Sophie Joncoux-Pilorget. The department specialises in the auction of antique and contemporary Arab, Islamic and Indian works of art. A wide variety of works are offered at auctions dedicated to these cultures and regions.

The North Africa, Middle East & India department.

From Morocco to India, via Egypt, Turkey and Iran, the North Africa, Middle East & India department is made up of three sections: Islamic and Indian Art, Orientalist paintings and Modern and Contemporary African Art. 

Collections including Persian art from Antoine Kitagbi Khan, Ottoman art from Maurice Bompard, Tunisian ceramics from the Chemla family, Moroccan jewellery and ceramics from the Tazi family, North African arms from Charles Buttin, and photographs, miniatures and gold and silver from the Gérard Levy gallery were all auctioned in this department.

Calendar of auctions dedicated to Islamic and Indian Art

United by a shared passion for the graphic and decorative arts of the Maghreb and the Near East, and by their excellent knowledge of their clientele, our team organises around ten prestige catalogued and online sales a year. Each year, our sales are a great success, with record bids and previously unseen works.

• Sales of Islamic and Indian Art, held in the auction rooms in the Drouot district, in the presence of the auctioneer and featuring the finest works.
• Orientalist paintings auctions, held in the Trocadéro district, in the presence of the auctioneer and presenting the most prestigious works.
• African Modern auctions, held indoors in the Trocadéro district, in the presence of the auctioneer and presenting a quality selection.
• Online auctions.
• For unique pieces, private sales are organised to satisfy a clientele seeking confidentiality.

These sales highlight the diversity of the art objects and their prices. All kinds of objects can be found: Persian and Arabic manuscripts, Qajar and Safavid ceramics from Persia or Iznik from the Ottoman Empire, Oriental weapons, Mughal paintings or miniatures from India, but also photographs with Orientalist subjects, coins, or any other object produced in the Maghreb, the Near East, Central Asia and India, dating from the beginning of Islam to the 19th century.

Each object is the subject of an expert appraisal, a photograph and a description, so that it can be promoted and reach a wide audience.

Record sales results

A leader in its field in continental Europe, the department has set several auction records:

-The fourth Juz of a princely Qur'an commissioned for the son of the Caliph Abû al-`Abbâs "an-Nasir li-Dîn Allah" (r. 1180-1225). Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate, Hegira 588 (1192-93) sold for €160,000 in 2022.

- Rare "Lebba" - Wedding necklace, Fez or Meknes circa 1800, sold for €59,000 in 2017.

-Shah 'Abbas I receiving Vali Muhammad Khan, Qajar Iran, Tehran, Workshop of 'Ali Muhammad Isfahani, circa 1880-1885. Important rectangular moulded ceramic plate with painted decoration under transparent glaze (firing crack) sold at MILLON in 2023 for 70,000 euros.

The Musée du Louvre, the Louvre Abu-Dhabi, the Mucem, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Aga Khan Foundation and many others are among the institutions that regularly acquire works from our sales, notably through pre-emption.

Services offered by our experts and auction specialists

Expert and head of the department, Anne-Sophie Joncoux-Pilorget goes in search of unusual, rare and extraordinary objects. Constantly on the lookout for objects and paintings, our experts like to satisfy a clientele of discerning collectors.

To do this, they can help you identify your objects and tell you what they are worth. A simple souvenir? A historical object? Many treasures are discovered every year.

Would you like a free, confidential estimate ? Our team is there for you, with no obligation on your part.

Our team is here to help and advise you, whether you are building up a collection or looking to sell at the best price.