20th May, 2026 11:00
Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026
90
‡ A TIMURID LUSTRE TILE, IRAN, DATED A.H.860/1455-56 A.D.
moulded fritware, with underglaze cobalt blue outlining, depicting a stylised vase with abundant flowers, surrounded by a border of calligraphy, 29.8 x 21.7cm
Provenance: Formerly J. P. Kassabaum Collection, sold at Christie's London, 27 April 1993, lot 156; Sotheby's London, 25 April 1996, lot 20, when purchased by the vendor
Inscription: 'The Most Great Sultan Abul Muzaffar Sultan Abu Sa'id Bihadur; may God make his kingdom everlasting; ordered the construction of this building. It was written by Nusrat al-Din Muhammad, the year eight hundred and sixty and it was made by al-Shams'.
For a similar but larger tile in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, see inv. no. 30.95.26. For a discussion of this series of tiles from an unidentified building, see Watson 1985, p.159-160. For a related large tile with a lotus border instead of an inscription, see Soustiel 1985, p.213
Sold for £10,000
moulded fritware, with underglaze cobalt blue outlining, depicting a stylised vase with abundant flowers, surrounded by a border of calligraphy, 29.8 x 21.7cm
Provenance: Formerly J. P. Kassabaum Collection, sold at Christie's London, 27 April 1993, lot 156; Sotheby's London, 25 April 1996, lot 20, when purchased by the vendor
Inscription: 'The Most Great Sultan Abul Muzaffar Sultan Abu Sa'id Bihadur; may God make his kingdom everlasting; ordered the construction of this building. It was written by Nusrat al-Din Muhammad, the year eight hundred and sixty and it was made by al-Shams'.
For a similar but larger tile in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, see inv. no. 30.95.26. For a discussion of this series of tiles from an unidentified building, see Watson 1985, p.159-160. For a related large tile with a lotus border instead of an inscription, see Soustiel 1985, p.213
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
