20th May, 2026 11:00
Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026
42
A 'KOFTGARI' PEN BOX, PROBABLY SIALKOT, PAKISTAN, 19TH CENTURY
gold damascened iron, of rectangular form, the exterior with dense floral decoration, the hinged lid with nastaliq inscription and handle, the red felt lined interior with gilt-brass ink reservoir, steel key, 10cm high (handle raised), 26.3cm wide, 8.6cm deep
Provenance: Collection of Robert Skelton, O.B.E. (1929-2022)
Inscription: A Persian couplet: in qalamdan pasand-i shahanast / [ki] ba-naqsh u nigar bustanast, ’This penbox is pleasing to kings/It is a garden of patterns and designs’
Sold for £750
gold damascened iron, of rectangular form, the exterior with dense floral decoration, the hinged lid with nastaliq inscription and handle, the red felt lined interior with gilt-brass ink reservoir, steel key, 10cm high (handle raised), 26.3cm wide, 8.6cm deep
Provenance: Collection of Robert Skelton, O.B.E. (1929-2022)
Inscription: A Persian couplet: in qalamdan pasand-i shahanast / [ki] ba-naqsh u nigar bustanast, ’This penbox is pleasing to kings/It is a garden of patterns and designs’
Auction: Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026, 20th May, 2026
The sale includes the collection of Robert Skelton OBE, curator of Indian Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It comprises some exquisite 18th and 19th century Indian paintings and drawings as well as a fine group of modern Indian paintings with works by Shiavax Chavda (1914 - 1990), Francis Newton Souza (1924 - 2002), K Laxma Goud (B. 1940) and Jayashree Chakravarty (B. 1956). Tiles, Indian bronzes, thewa boxes, a silver gilt ewer, a ‘Koftgari’ pen box and a Mughal carved black jade dagger are also among the lots in this collection.
Also in the same sale is 10th -12th century Persian pottery, a monumental pair of 19th century doors, Persian and Syrian ceramics including tiles, also Iznic tiles from Ottoman Anatolia. Other lots include Indian bronze figures, small furniture, textiles and rugs.
Auction Location: London, UK
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm
Viewing
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 17th May: 12pm to 4pm
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm
CONTACT
indianandislamic@olympiaauctions.com + 44 (0)20 7806 5545
