SALE: An Eye For Opulence — Art of the Ottoman Empire
LOCATION: Sotheby's London
DATE: April 24, 2pm
ABOUT: In a three-day flurry of sales that rival New York Asia Week in breadth, London is getting geared up for a flood of Islamic and Turkish art next week. Sotheby's is selling a collection made up exclusively of work from the Ottoman Empire. The sale includes Ottoman works from the 15th to the 19th centuries and covers everything from pottery to painting to furniture. The top estimated lot is a rare blue "golden horn"-style jug circa 1530-40 from the western Turkish town of Iznik, which for centuries during Ottoman rule produced some of the most sought-after pottery in the empire. The jug could fetch £250,000-350,000 ($396,000-554,000).
Also on offer is a painting of Ottoman sultan Murad I (who ruled in the late 14th century) of the North Italian School, painted in the 17th century. Murad is considered the first great Ottoman conqueror on European soil, and pushed his empire all the way into Serbia before he was assassinated during the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. The work, estimated to sell for $150,000-200,000 ($237,000-317,000) appears to be part of a larger collection of portraits of Ottoman rulers that are now dispersed among collectors.
Other notable lots include an Ottoman voided velvet and metal thread çatma panel, with a typical Ottoman floral motif from the 16th century (est. £80,000-120,000, $126,000-190,000), and an Ottoman calligrapher's table from the 16th century featuring funky geometric designs (est. £40,000-60,000, $63,000-95,000).
Turkish and Islamic Week, London:
Sale: Islamic and Indian Art
Location: Bonhams London
Date: April 24, 10:30am
Sale: Oriental Rugs and Carpets
Location: Christie's London
Date: April 24, 10:30am and 2pm
Sale: The Orientalist Sale
Location: Sotheby's London
Date: April 24, 12pm
Sale: Arts of the Islamic World
Location: Sotheby's London
Date: April 25, 10:30am
Sale: Contemporary Art/Turkish
Location: Sotheby's London
Date: April 26, 10:30am
Sale: Islamic and Indian Works of Art on Paper (A Private Collection)
Location: Christie's London
Date: April 26, 10:30am
Sale: Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds
Location: Christie's London
Date: April 26, 11am
Sale: Islamic and Indian Works of Art and Textiles
Location: Christie's London
Date: April 27, 10:30am and 2pm
OTHER INTERNATIONAL SALES:
Sale: Spring Modern Auction
Location: Bukowskis Stockholm
Date: April 25-27
Sale: Prints and Multiples
Location: Christie's New York
Date: April 24-25
Sale: Prints and Multiples
Location: Sotheby's New York
Date: April 26-27