20th May, 2026 11:00
Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026
9
A CALLIGRAPHIC EXERCISE IN SHIKASTA, SIGNED 'ABD AL-MAJID, PERSIA, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY
red ink on marbled paper laid on card, lines of calligraphy, within ruled margins in orange and green enclosing a border of polychrome floral scrolls on a gold ground, text 17.1 x 10.3cm., folio 39.8 x 29.9cm.
The text states that this exercise was carried out by 'Abd al-Majid for a Muhammad Hasan Khan at the end of Dhu’l-Qa’da in the forty days leading up to Nowruz in 1287 (1871 A.D.) at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. It refers to a famine in the reign of Sultan Sanjar in Nishapur as well as to one in the scribe’s own time.
Sold for £260
red ink on marbled paper laid on card, lines of calligraphy, within ruled margins in orange and green enclosing a border of polychrome floral scrolls on a gold ground, text 17.1 x 10.3cm., folio 39.8 x 29.9cm.
The text states that this exercise was carried out by 'Abd al-Majid for a Muhammad Hasan Khan at the end of Dhu’l-Qa’da in the forty days leading up to Nowruz in 1287 (1871 A.D.) at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. It refers to a famine in the reign of Sultan Sanjar in Nishapur as well as to one in the scribe’s own time.
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
