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A pair of auction catalogues for Oriental and Indian art and antiques: CHRISTIES: ISLAMIC ART, INDIAN MINIATURES, RUGS AND CARPETS, Tuesday 17th October 1995; SOTHEBY'S: IMPORTANT JAPANESE PRINTS, ILLUSTRATED BOOKS & PAINTINGS FROM THE ADOLPHE STOCLET COLLECTION, 8th June 2004 (2)

Sayed Abdel Rasoul (Egypt, 1917-1995)The Wedding oil on canvas, framedsigned 'Sayed Abdel Rasoul' in Arabic (lower left) (lower left), executed circa 1970s85.5 x 95.5cm (33 11/16 x 37 5/8in).Footnotes:Provenance:Property from a private collection, CairoFormerly in the collection of a distinguished Egyptian scholar and authorThence by descent to the present ownerAbdel Rasoul was born in 1917 in Egypt and was a pioneering figure in the folk art school of painting. Throughout his career, he was fascinated by the symbols and motifs of folk art, which served as the primary inspiration for his early artistic endeavors.Abdel Rasoul's unique approach to painting is what makes his works truly stand out. He blends ancient Egyptian, Arab Islamic, and folk Egyptian motifs to create original and contemporary pieces of art. His meticulous attention to detail and skilful use of colour and composition make his paintings truly captivating.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Hamed Nada (Egypt, 1924-1990)Battle for Liberation (Maerakat al-Tahrir) oil on board, framedsigned 'Hamed Nada' and dated '1970' in Arabic (lower left), affixed with an Egyptian Ministry of Culture exhibition stamp on the verso marked 'Exposition de l'art Egyptien Paris'119 x 134cm (46 7/8 x 52 3/4in).Footnotes:Provenance:Property from a private collection, UAEFormerly in the Yousef Al-Khatib Collection, EgyptPublished: Yousef Al Khatib, Dar Filistin (The House of Palestine), Yousef Al Khatib Foundation for Culture, Media and Art, 2011Exhibited:Visages de l'art contemporain Egyptien, Musée Galliera, Paris, 1971A rare and large published painting by Hamed Nada, exhibited at a landmark show of Egyptian modernism in The Musee Galliera in Paris in 1971 and formerly in the collection of the renowned Palestinian poet Youssef Al-Khatib'Any work of art that does not have surrealist elements is no work of art. In other words, no matter what colour or direction spontaneous expression takes, a work of art can't be devoid of the artist's subjectivity if it is true art.' -Hamed Nada'Battle for Liberation' is perhaps one of the most significant works by Hamed Nada to come to market in recent years. Large in scale and distinct in subject matter, the painting stands out for its distinguished provenance and its unique exhibition history, featuring in a highly significant 1970 showcase of Modern Egyptian art at Parises Musee Galliera (which now houses the fashion museum). The 1970 exhibition was celebrated for introducing European audiences to new voices of Egyptian art, and giving a fresh account of Egyptian visual culture which up to that point had only been represented by the ancient art and sculpture of the Pharaonic and the craft of the Islamic periods in European museums. Battle for Liberation is a surreal and symbolic representation of the struggles faced by Arab peoples and mankind in general for freedom. Painted during a politically charged period, in 1970, during Egypts War of Attrition, the work depicts figures engaged in a struggle to achieve peace and fragmented surreal depictions of conflict and battle such as a figure galloping into a voide on horseback. Hamed Nada was an integral member of the Contemporary Art Group founded by Hussein Youssef Amin (1904-1984) in 1944. The movement explored issues of social realism and surrealism. Like his mentor Youssef Amin, Nada was fascinated by the mural quality of children's drawings, which particularly impressed him while teaching art at primary school in the 1950s as proved by lack of perspective and the figure's stylisation in these works. From the mid-1950s onwards Nada to look at the work of Ragheb Ayad, from the first generation of Egyptian pioneer artists, who had reinterpreted pharaonic art in his portrayals of ordinary Egyptians. Also, for inspiration Nada looked to Nubian folk art and African primitive art.Since the 1970s, Hamed Nada's oeuvre gradually shifted from tragic themes of the struggles of working-class subjects to more joyful and energetic scenes. The colours became more vibrant and the works displayed far more movement and rhythm than before. Both artworks provide you with a unique glimpse into the inner workings of Nada's lucid imagination and realisation of liberalised Egyptian men and women. A nouveau twist on ancient Egyptian art, Nada incorporates depictions of animals in his works reminiscent of hieroglyphics on ancient tombs, temples and cartouches. His use of animals further commemorates pharaonic mythology, where they existed both in reality and the celestial world.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Chant Avedissian (Egypt, 1951-2018)Icons of Arabia gouache, acrylic, and hand coloured stencil on cardboard, ten panelseach panel is signed, dated and located, executed between 2011-2014each panel: 69 x 49cmFootnotes:Provenance:Property from the Rose Issa collection'In between Paris and Cairo I stopped doing any handwork, any painting. And I never wanted to do painting, but I discovered that people put photos of people on the wall- football players, movie stars- and I thought to do the stencils, but I didn't know what was going to happen, that it was going to go on for so long. I did two or three stencils at the beginning and that was it. And then it went on and on and on and it became like a drug; you can't stop. In the beginning it was my childhood memories, and then little by little I was shocked by what I discovered in newspapers, I mean the mise en scène that was there. Mise en scène means how a photo is directed; how an image is not true. Neither the people stand like that nor look like that; everything was artificial. The images said things about liberty and happiness and sports, but the photos were composed, for propaganda, so it was very amazing to do this work' – Chant AvadessianWhilst studying in Canada and France, first at Fine Arts in Montreal, then at Ecole Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, where he investigated printmaking and silkscreen techniques, Avedissian came to the conclusion that Western academia and its rigidity was not a system within which he could recognise himself. This disillusion resulted in a return to his homeland, where he merged techniques learnt in the West with his strongly rooted Egyptian heritage.He gradually integrated knowledge gained from his formal studies in Canada and France with personal research into legendary Pharaonic iconography, geometric Islamic architecture, floral patterns of Ottoman textiles, and popular 20th century imagery of icons from the Arab world. Avedissian first started his stencils series during the Gulf War in 1991. The series was catalysed by the overwhelming media coverage of the political situation, which consumed him with feelings of hopelessness and despair, resulting in a collection of faces, places and symbols from his past.In his stunning stencilled works, Avedissian fuses symbols taken from Ancient Egypt such as hieroglyphics and dynastic monuments, with pictures of national heroes, admired politicians, popular singers and actors. These pictures are based on media imagery from Gamel Abdel Nasser's rule (1956-1970), a decade that witnessed a socio-cultural reawakening permeated with a vigorous wave of Arab nationalism. Avedissian's concern for the disappearance of Egypt's rich heritage at the outbreak of the first Gulf War motivated him to explore topics such as; memory, history, imagery and self-representation in Egyptian culture. This shift in focus was a defining moment in his career as a contemporary artist, which had previously concentrated on photography and hand-dyed and sewn textile panels.In Avedissian's Icons of the Niles series, he creates a grandiose mosaic of Egyptian cultural history retracing his country's past, combining nostalgic imagery with a celebration of Egyptian iconographical motifs. Within this work, the artist avoids the use of oil on canvas. Instead, he blends his own pigments and uses a delicate stencil technique to transfer the image onto card or locally produced paper. The stencil technique requires a simplification of line and colour, and thus becomes similar to the hieroglyphic model of symbols. By means of repeating and layering images, Avedissian saturates his works with various suggestions and connotations, eloquently drawing our attention to the many faces of modern Egyptian society and Cairo's visual landscape. Each stencilled panel embodies a variety of influences and themes, creating vivid organic patterns. His process of creation skilfully combines the use of local pigments, gum arabic, and hand-coloured textiles; the conclusion is presented as a powerful vehicle for the artist's personal memories and experiences. Avedissian's work, unique in its approach and execution, repeatedly compares and contrasts the West and the Middle East, art and propaganda, and tradition and modernity. Throughout this work, he conveys his admiration and appreciation for opulently iconic Egyptian imagery, coupled with the remnants of his country's magnificent historical past with an honest and profound sincerity. His iconoclastic images commemorate the country that nourished his creative soul.Figures depicted:Taha HusseinTaha Hussein, one of Egypt's most influential writers and intellectuals of the 20th century, is known as the 'Dean of Arabic Literature.' Despite losing his sight at a young age, his prolific works challenged the status quo, advocating for education, enlightenment, and social reform across the Arab world.Faten HamamaFaten Hamama, often hailed as the 'Lady of the Arab Screen,' was an Egyptian actress whose career spanned over six decades. Known for her elegance, talent, and versatility, she became a beloved icon of Egyptian cinema, starring in some of the most influential films of her era.AsmahanAsmahan, the Syrian-Egyptian singer and actress, captivated audiences with her haunting voice and enigmatic presence. Born into royalty, her life was a mix of glamour and tragedy, and her contributions to Arab music remain unparalleled despite her untimely death.FaridFarid al-Atrash, a Syrian-Egyptian composer, singer, and actor, is one of the most celebrated figures in Arab music. Known as the 'King of Oud,' Farid's distinctive voice and emotive compositions left an indelible mark on the golden age of Egyptian cinema and music.Nazem Al GhazaliNazem Al Ghazali, the legendary Iraqi singer, is remembered for his unique style and contribution to Arabic maqam music. His soulful voice and timeless songs, such as 'Fog El Nakhal,' made him an icon of Iraqi and Arab music, influencing generations of artists.King FaroukKing Farouk, the last reigning monarch of Egypt, ascended to the throne in 1936 at the age of 16. His reign was marked by extravagance and political instability, ultimately leading to his abdication in 1952 during the Egyptian revolution. He remains a symbol of Egypt's royal past.Nezar KabbaniNizar Kabbani, a renowned Syrian poet and diplomat, is considered one of the most influential modern Arab poets. His poetry, rich with themes of love, politics, and feminism, resonated with readers across the Arab world and beyond, solidifying his status as a literary icon.Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt's charismatic leader and the face of Arab nationalism, became the country's second president in 1956. Known for his role in overthrowing the monarchy, his policies of pan-Arabism and socialism left an enduring impact on the Middle East.FawziyaFawziya, Queen of Iran and Princess of Egypt, was a royal figure who embodied elegance and diplomacy. Her marriage to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, made her a symbol of cross-cultural ties between Egypt and Iran, though her life was marked by public and personal challenges.YolandaYolanda Gigliotti, better known by her stage name Dalida, was a French-Italian-Egyptian singer and actress whose career spanned over three decades. Her multilingual repertoire and captivating performances made her an international star, beloved across Europe and the Arab world.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Adham Ismail (Syria, 1922-1963)The Family acrylic on panel, framedsigned 'Adham' and dated '59' (upper left), executed in 1959122 x 91cm (48 1/16 x 35 13/16in).Footnotes:Provenance:Property from a private collection, UKSotheby's, Art of the Islamic World, 30 April 2003, lot 148This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Parviz Tanavoli (Iran, born 1937)Standing Heech fibreglasssigned 'Parviz' and dated '07' on the base, numbered 16/25, number 16 from an edition of 25, executed in 200759 x 28cm (23 1/4 x 11in).Footnotes:Provenance:Property from the Varzi Family Collection, SpainNote:This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the ArtistReflections of Persia: The Varzi Collection of Modern and Contemporary Iranian ArtThe Varzi Collection of Modern and Contemporary Iranian Art offers a thoughtfully curated selection of works that showcase the diversity and richness of Iran's artistic heritage. Built by Hamid Varzi, this collection reflects both the cultural depth of Iranian art and his personal journey of staying connected to his homeland while living abroad. With a range of works spanning from early modern pioneers to contemporary artists, the collection provides a comprehensive look at the evolution of Iranian art across time and borders.Hamid Varzi, born in Tehran, moved to the United Kingdom as an infant and pursued his education at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. After completing his studies, he returned to Iran in 1972, where he served in the military and played for Iran's National Hockey Team at the 1974 Asian Games. Eventually, Varzi relocated to Germany, where he established several successful commercial ventures over the next two decades. His return to Iran in 2000 marked a new chapter as he took on leadership roles in banking and industry before settling in Spain in 2017. Today, Varzi is an accomplished writer, with published works in novels, poetry, and screenwriting.The Varzi Collection, built over many years in Tehran and now housed in a grand villa in Marbella, Spain, mirrors the experiences of so many Iranian artists who, like Varzi himself, have navigated life abroad but remain deeply connected to their cultural roots. This dynamic collection is not only a personal expression of Varzi's dedication to preserving Iranian heritage but also an embodiment of the broader reality faced by millions of Iranians in the diaspora—rebuilding their sense of Iranian-ness in foreign lands while always carrying the essence of their homeland with them.What sets the Varzi Collection apart is its extraordinary chronological breadth, encompassing works that span both the early pioneers of Iranian modernism and the emerging talents of contemporary Iranian art. The collection is a seamless blend of traditional motifs and avant-garde experimentation, offering viewers a comprehensive journey through the evolution of Iranian artistic expression.The Varzi Collection brings together an impressive range of media and subject matter, spanning both early pioneers and contemporary voices in Iranian art. From the works of renowned figures like Marcos Grigorian, Parviz Tanavoli, and Monir Farmanfarmaian—who were instrumental in shaping the trajectory of Iranian modern art—to the younger generation represented by Rokni Haerizadeh, whose iconic painting from the Divan restaurant in Tehran is a highlight, the collection is both diverse and cohesive. Among the standouts are two rare early works by Farideh Lashai, including an abstract work on paper from the 1970s and a dynamic, expressive tree composition from the 1980s. Additionally, Bahman Mohasses' ghoulish head of a minotaur, one of his most recognizable themes, offers a haunting presence in the collection. The Varzi Collection reflects a wide spectrum of Iranian art, representing both male and female artists, emerging and established figures, and those working within Iran and abroad. It truly captures the richness and breadth of Iranian artistic expression across different eras and styles.In Varzi's collection, one can read the collective narrative of Iranian artists —the ability to adapt, rebuild, and thrive despite the many challenges of displacement. Each piece serves as a visual homage to the nation's enduring spirit, while the collection as a whole celebrates the richness of Iranian art across generations and across borders. As it moves to auction, the Varzi Collection is not only a unique opportunity for collectors but also a profound statement of cultural continuity and pride. Parviz Tanavoli: Heech The Father of Iran modern sculpture, Parviz Tanavoli was born in 1937 in Tehran, Iran. In 1955, Tanavoli was one of the very first students to enrol in the newly established Tehran School of Fine Arts. A few years later, he left Iran to further his education in sculpting at the Brera Academy of Milan. Tanavoli returned to Iran and established Atelier Kaboud, which became the birthplace of the most significant and avant-garde Iranian modern art movement, the Saqqakhaneh movement.In 1965, Tanavoli created his first Heech sculpture. His signature Heech series is composed of three Farsi letters in the Persian calligraphy style of nastaliq. Tanavoli protested against the empty overuse of traditional forms by giving new depth to the two dimensional calligraphy on paper and transforming it into a three dimensional object. A pioneer of his practice, Tanavoli has produced numerous Heech sculptures in various mediums such as bronze, ceramic, fiberglass and neon and in many different shapes, sizes and colours to expose people with the concept of 'nothingness'.This present sculpture of the Heech is a fine example of Tanavoli's use of fiberglass, a medium he embraced during his later work and through which he found great versatility in form and freedom of expression. To Tanavoli, the concept of nothingness has multiple layers of meanings and is not necessarily an expression of despair and hopelessness. One interpretation relates to Persian Sufism, in which nothing is an aspect of God, who creates everything from nothing. The other is that the physical shape of the word has an appealing volume and a life like form. This repetition of design in his oeuvre is also reflective of the traditional Islamic practice of repeating a craft in the quest for perfection.Tanavoli's practice focuses on the intersection of both traditional Persian folk art and contemporary practices in a career spanning over six decades.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Iznik pottery dish Turkey, circa 1600of shallow rounded form with everted rim on a short foot, decorated in raised red, cobalt blue, turquoise and black on a white ground with a central foliate spray with saz leaves surrounded by partial flowerheads, the rim with rock wave design, the exterior with vegetal motifs 27.2 cm. diam.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection, acquired at Sotheby's, Islamic Works of Art, 21 October 1993, lot 175.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

N. R. Sardesai (Indian, 1885-1954) Study of a womancharcoal on paper, signed twice, lower left and lower right, and dated 8/3/[19]09 lower left 29 x 22 cm.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate collection, Switzerland.Sardesai was a pupil at the Ratnagiri School of Industry, and graduated as a carpenter. He then worked as a drawing teacher in the Fort and Proprietary High School, Fort Bombay, between 1920 and 1930. In 1914 he was awarded the Mayo Medal from the Sir JJ School of Art, Bombay, for his skill in watercolours.For three watercolours by Sardesai dated 1934 and 1935, see Christie's, Twentieth Century Indian Art, 5th October 1999, lot 52; and Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art including Modern and Contemporary Paintings from the Indian Subcontinent, 17th October 2002, lot 566.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Rustam killing the div Arzhang, a scene from Firdausi's Shahnama Mughal, circa 1630drawing with some use of gouache on paper, laid down on a large album page with profusely decorated inner and outer borders with intertwining floral and vegetal motifs in gold on coloured grounds painting 191 x 120 mm.; album page 477 x 316 mm.Footnotes:ProvenanceChristie's, Islamic Art, Indian Miniatures, Rugs and Carpets, 17th October 1995, lot 6.Private UK collection since 1995.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Safavid lavender-glazed moulded pottery bottle Persia, 17th Centurythe body of globular form with conical terminus, surmounted by a tall neck with flaring rim, the body moulded and decorated with almond-shaped protrusions to the shoulder 24 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection. Safavid monochrome glazed wares were derived from Chinese celadon and are one of the most characteristic productions of the Safavid period. For examples of lavender glazed Safavid pottery sold at Christie's, see Art of the Islamic & Indian Worlds, 7 April 2011, lot 138 & Islamic, 11 April 2000, lot 344. For further examples of Safavid monochrome wares, see Arthur Lane, Later Islamic Pottery, London 1957, pls. 93-95. The almond-shaped moulded decoration and form of the present lot is comparable to glass examples of the 18th/ 19th century in the Khalili Collection (see S. Goldstein, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art: Glass, Vol. XV, London, 2005, pp. 299-301, nos. 320 & 321).Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A large illuminated Mamluk Qur'an Egypt, 15th Century, with an apparently added colophon dated AH 876 AH/AD 1472Arabic manuscript on paper, 282 leaves, 12 lines to the page written in naskhi script in black ink, verse-endings marked by groups of three red inverted commas, sura headings written in riqa' script in red, f.1a with a blue and gold shamsa, ff.1b and 2a with an illuminated frontispiece, f.282a with the end of sura al-Nas and the colophon ruled in gold and interspersed by gold and polychrome rosettes, f.282b with a shamsa bearing an endowment note, leaves significantly trimmed throughout, modern red leather binding, with flap 355 x 310 mm.Footnotes:ProvenanceWith G. Sarkovitch, Mount Street, London, 1984.The Shakerine Collection.LiteratureN. Safwat, A Collector's Eye: Islamic calligraphy in Qur'ans and other manuscripts, London 2010, pp. 200-205, no. 49.Accompanying the lot is a typewritten letter addressed to G. Sarkovitch, dated 25th May 1984, from H. J. Goodacre, Acting Head of the Arabic section in the Department of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books at the British Library, in which he gives his opinion of the manuscript following inspection. It is likely that this impressive manuscript of the Qur'an was copied during the reign of Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qaytbay (reg. 1468-96). It was under Qaytbay's patronage that numerous Qur'ans were copied and endowed to foundations. For a recent example see a monumental Qur'an dated AH 894/AD 1489, sold at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 2nd May 2019, lot 11.The manuscript has an added colophon in a different and less accomplished hand, stating that it was copied by 'Abd al-Latif al-Sayfi Uzbak on Wednesday 13rd Shawwal 876/25th March 1472. In the roundel at the beginning of the text, which is cut from a different manuscript, is a dedication to Uzbak, who was appointed Commander-in-Chief twice, once in Muharram 873/July-August 1466, again in AH 902/AD 1496-97, and who died on 24 Ramadan 904/5th May 1499. (See L. A. Mayer, Islamic Metalworkers and their Works, Geneva 1959, pp. 244-6). The hand in this roundel is of high quality, which would not appear to match with that of the main text and the colophon.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: •• Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An illustration from a Bhagavata Purana series, depicting depicting the battle of the gods Nepal, circa 1775-80goauche on paper, red border, nagari inscription in lower border, indistinctly numbered in upper left border 367 x 543 mm.Footnotes:Paintings such as this were produced in Nepal for extensive series of illustrations to the Bhagavata Purana: more than one hundred paintings dealt with Book 10. The influence of central Indian painting has been suggested, though that of Guler is more likely, as Pal argues. For comparative examples, see, for instance, Sotheby's New York, The Carter Burden Collection of Indian Paintings, 27th March 1991, lots 16-19; Sotheby's, Indian Art, 16th June 2009, lots 29 & 30; P. Pal, Art of Nepal, Los Angeles 1985, pp. 228-229, no. P35; Simon Ray, Indian and Islamic Works of Art, November 2008, no. 65; and the sale in these rooms, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23rd October 2018, lot 148, which similarly depicted a battle of the Gods, with Vishnu riding on Garuda, Siva on the bull, outside a burning city, and Brahma, Indra and other gods.Other leaves from the same Bhagavata Purana series are in the Victoria and Albert Museum (IS.157-1964, IS.159-1964); and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (see Pal, op. cit.).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A gem-set gilt-silver hilted steel dagger (khanjar) India, 19th/ 20th Centurythe double-edged steel blade of slightly curved form with armour piercing tip, the silver-gilt hilt of pistol-grip form profusely inlaid with gemstones including emeralds and rubies, the pommel with floral motifs, traces of enamel, the wood scabbard clad in red velvet with silver-gilt mounts decorated ensuite with gemstones including emeralds, rubies and diamonds 38.3 cm. longFootnotes:ProvenanceThe Mohammed Khalil Collection.PublishedM. K. Ibrahim, Islamic Arms and Armour, Vol. II, United Arab Emirates, 2022, p. 670, cat. no. 485.This form of dagger appears to have become popular at the start of the 18th Century, having first emerged in India circa 1650. The type is depicted in miniatures from the period, such as an example from the mid-18th Century sold in these rooms depicting the Emperor Muhammad Shah receiving four courtiers, in which the figure on the far right bears a gem-set khanjar within his patka (see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 5 April 2011, lot 243).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An engraved-steel hawking drum Anatolia or Central Asia, 15th Centuryof flaring conical form with hide skin, the body engraved and decorated with a band of inscription, above a band of vegetal designs 18.2 cm. diam.Footnotes:Inscriptions: undeciphered.Hawking drums were beaten by the falconer in order to scare prey into the air, and were purportedly particularly useful in duck hunting due to the reflection of the sound on the water (see K. Folsach, Fighting, Hunting, Impressing: Arms and Armour from the Islamic World 1500-1850 p. 185). They may also have been used to recall the falcon. A 19th Century Turkish falconry drum (bazz) of comparable form is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (89.4.2810). A 16th Century Ottoman hawking drum in The David Collection, Copenhagen, is illustrated in Folsach (op cit, p. 185, no. 77). For a further 16th Century Ottoman example sold at Christie's, see Islamic Art, Indian Miniatures, Rugs and Carpets, 25 April 1995, lot 301.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An impressive Mughal ivory-inlaid wood cabinet depicting European figures Western India, early 17th centuryof rectangular form with fifteen drawers, a hinged brass handle to either side, profusely decorated with ivory and dyed-green ivory inlay, the drawer fronts with scenes of European and Indian figures hunting various animals including tigers, all on a foliate ground, the top and sides with central lobed cartouche containing flowerheads on a ground of split palmette interlace, surrounded by a border of foliate scrollwork with rosettes, the back with a cartouche containing foliate scrollwork interspersed by rosettes, surrounded by borders of further foliate scrollwork and rosettes, with later Persian white metal mounts engraved and decorated with pairs of seated figures on a foliate ground with perching birds 79.9 x 35.8 x 36.3 cm.Footnotes:ProvenanceDr. Caro Owen Minasian Collection, acquired in the 1940s, and thence by descent.The present lot is a large and outstanding example from a small group of ivory-inlaid cabinets depicting European figures. They can be identified by their western costumes, which stand out from those of their Indian counterparts, and are characterised by voluminous trousers and rounded caps. The figure on the present lot was identified in a hand written note by Dr. Caro Minasian as Sir Thomas Roe (1581-1644), the first English ambassador to the court of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) between 1616 and 1619. Indeed, the clothes represented are comparable to those worn by Sir Thomas Roe in a Mughal painting in the British Museum, London, dated circa 1616, depicting him in attendance as Jahangir invests a courtier with a robe of honour (Museum Number 1933,0610,0.1). Furthermore, the style of the cabinet would point towards a date of production at around the time that Sir Thomas was in India. Today, his journal entries, notes and correspondence, compiled in The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe, are considered valuable first hand accounts of the court of Emperor Jahangir. For further details and discussion of Sir Thomas Roe's time at the Mughal Court, see Colin Paul Mitchell, Sir Thomas Roe and the Mughal Empire, Karachi, 2000. This type of ivory-inlaid furniture is believed to have originated in Western India, more specifically in Gujarat and Sindh (see Amin Jaffer, Luxury Goods from India, The Art of the Indian Cabinet Maker, London, 2002). Intricately crafted chests and cabinets such as these appealed to both local and foreign tastes, with documents and miniatures recording Mughal rulers with European-style furniture, including a 17th century portrait of Rustam Khan in the Chester Beatty library (Jorge Flores and Nuno Vassallo e Silva (eds.), Goa and The Great Mughal, exhibition catalogue, Lisbon, 2004, pp. 111-115).An example of a box featuring European figures is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no 2000.301). A further ivory-inlaid cabinet, the top half of which is of very similar form to ours, in the Museu Nacional De Arte Antiga, features European figures hunting on horseback (inv. no. 1312 Mov). In these examples, as in ours, the figures are depicted hunting in scenes emulating those of Persian and Indian paintings. For a smaller ivory-inlaid cabinet featuring European figures sold at Sotheby's, see Art of the Islamic World, 20 April 2016, lot 139. The dense foliate ground on our cabinet is also a fine example of its type, and comparable to that found on a cabinet in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (IM 16-1931).Dr. Caro Owen Minasian (1897-1973) was an Armenian physician and collector. Having attended the English College in Isfahan, he went on to study medicine at the Universities of London, Edinburgh, and Lausanne. Throughout his lifetime Dr. Minasian amassed an extensive collection of Armenian, Persian, and Near Eastern books and manuscripts.The item within this lot containing ivory has been registered in accordance with the Ivory Act (Section 10), reference no. NVKEC9P4.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y ФY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the UK, see clause 13.Ф This lot contains or is made of ivory and cannot be imported into the USA or any country within the EU.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An illustrated leaf from a manuscript of Firdausi's Shahnama, depicting Bahram Gur in combat with two lions in order to gain the throne Mughal, attributed to Mirza Ghulam, circa 1610gouache and gold on paper, 16 lines to the page above and below the painting written in nasta'liq in black ink in 4 columns on gold-sprinkled paper, inner margins ruled in gold and blue, verso with 25 lines to the page, laid down within later floral illuminated margins, the name 'Mirza Ghulam' discernible in the lower margin leaf 360 x 225 mm.Footnotes:This leaf derives from an early Mughal manuscript of the Shahnama illustrated by Mughal-trained artists, some of whom worked in a Persian style, such as Mirza Ghulam, Dawud, Dadar Kashmiri, Muhammad Pandat and Haidar Kashmiri. The artist of the painting here, Mirza Ghulam, was trained under Aqa Riza while both worked in the service of Prince Salim in Allahabad from 1599-1604 before transferring to the imperial atelier in Agra under the Emperor Jahangir from 1605-10. Extant paintings by Mirza Ghulam suggest that he was trained in the Persian tradition like his mentor (see A. Okada, Imperial Mughal Painters, Paris 1992, pp. 111-116, figs. 121-125).In this painting, the plain rocky hillside in the centre of the composition recalls Bukharan 16th Century painting (compare an illustration to Layla and Majnun in the Louvre, inv.no. MAO 713). However, the rounded faces of the figures look Safavid, and the architecture of the town at upper left is Mughal-inspired.Six illustrations from the manuscript from the Brunet Collection were sold at Sotheby's, London, 13 July 1971, lots 138-140 (lot 138 now in the Cleveland Museum of Art, acc.no. 2013.314) and 7 December 1971, lots 54-56. Most identify the name of the artist, sometimes accompanied by a number, in the margin.For another leaf from the same manuscript, illustrated by Mirza Ghulam, see Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 24th October 2024, lot 147.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: †† VAT at the prevailing rate on Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Two sages seated on a terrace with vinas, perhaps a ragamala scene Pahari, Punjab Hills, circa 1840gouache and gold on paper, panel at bottom with three lines of text written in nagari script in black ink, floral inner border, lacking outer border 297 x 236 mm.Footnotes:The subject depicted may be Kanara raga, son of Megha. For another Pahari example (Bilaspur, circa 1700-20), which depicts two men with vinas seated facing each other, see Simon Ray, Indian and Islamic Works of Art, April 2006, pp. 132-133, no. 61. However, there both men are playing, which is not the case in our painting. Ray notes a Pahari drawing in K. Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, 1973, p. 293, no. 375, depicting Kanada Putra of Megha, in which one man plays the vina while the other, without an instrument, appears to clap his hands to the beat. The outstretched hand of the man on the right in our painting may imply a similar marking of the rhythm. On the other hand, his priestly appearance, and the religious marks on the faces of both, may suggest another interpretation.For another work perhaps from the same ragamala series, see Sotheby's, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art including Indian Miniature Paintings, 8th June 2012, lot 14 (Bangali Ragini of Bhairava Raga); and the sale in these rooms, India in Art, 7th June 2022, lot 76 (depicting kanphat yogis).Lot to be sold without reserve.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Med Egron Lundgren i Indien 1858-1859 [With Egron Lundgren in India, 1858-1859] Bonnier, Stockholm, 1931no. 17 of a limited edition of 500, pp. 37 of Swedish text by Karl Asplund (with 21 monochrome figures), pp. 80 of colour and monochrome plates, paper-covered boards 323 x 240 mm.Footnotes:This interesting book deals with Lundgren's watercolours and drawings of Indian noblemen and women, many of Sikh soldiers, palanquin bearers, musicians and other tradespeople, in Calcutta, Benares, Lucknow in particular, and Oudh more generally. Egron Selif Lundgren (1815-1875) was a Swedish traveller, artist and writer, who went to India to report on the Mutiny, or uprising, of 1857-58. He accompanied Lord Clyde in the campaign in Oudh, including the Relief of Lucknow. His work found much favour with the Royal Family: he was commissioned by Queen Victoria to record the wedding of the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in January 1858, and sketches from his stay at Balmoral in September 1859 remain in the Royal Collection at Windsor. For further information see S. Nilsson and N. Gupta, Egron Lundgren and India, Malmoe, 1992.For a work on paper by Lundgren, depicting two Sikh and three Gurkha soldiers, see the sale in these rooms, Islamic and Indian Art Online Sale, 20th-28th October 2022, lot 231.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: •• Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A gem-set gold necklace India, 20th Centuryset with rubies, emeralds and diamonds, formed of strung quatrefoils above pendant flowerheads and crescent elements with paste and gold leaf motif fringe, with a central openwork floral motif above a pendant openwork crescent and floral element with paste beads and gold leaf motif fringe 24.5 cm. long; 95.59 g.Footnotes:For a comparable necklace sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 7 October 2010, lot 441.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ΩΩ VAT on imported items at the prevailing rate on Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Mamluk silver-inlaid brass candlestick base bearing the name of Sultan al-Nasir Hasan (r. 1347-1351, 1354-1361) Egypt or Syria, 14th Centuryof flaring truncated conical form, a raised rib above the foot, engraved and decorated in silver inlay, the body with inscriptions in thuluth script interspersed by roundels containing floral motifs and a central rosette, all on a ground of foliate interlace, above and below bands of vegetal designs 13.9 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection acquired at Christie's, Islamic, Indian, South-East Asian Manuscripts, Miniatures and Works of Art, 23 November 1984, lot 567.Inscriptions: al-maqarr al-'ali al-mawlawi al-amiri al-kabiri al-ghaz/i al-mujahidi al-'alimi al-'amili al-maliki al-nasiri, 'The High authority, the Lord, the Great Commander, the Conqueror, the Holy Warrior, the Learned, the Diligent, (an officer of) al-Malik al-Nasir'.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Mamluk Revival silver-inlaid brass vase with the cup-bearer's arms Egypt or Syria, 19th/ 20th Centuryof inverted piriform with flaring base and short neck with slightly everted rim, engraved and decorated in silver inlay with inscription-filled roundels to the body with central blazon, interspersed by further roundels and cartouches containing vegetal interlace, the shoulder with bands of vegetal and geometric interlace above and below a band of rosettes and cartouches containing inscriptions and vegetal designs 32.1 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection, acquired at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 16 October 2003, lot 452.Inscriptions: to the roundels to the body, 'izz li-mawlana ... al-maliki al-'alimi al-mawlaw[i] al-sultan, 'Glory to our lord, ... the possessor, the learned, the lordly, the sultan', al-'alima (sic) ... al-sultan, al-maliki al-mawlaw[i] al-nasiri, 'The learned ... the sultan, the possessor, the lordly, [an official of] al-Nasir'; to the cartouches around the shoulder, 'izz li-mawlana al-sultan, al-'alim al-maliki al-nasirial', 'Glory to our lord, sultan, the learned, the possessor, [an official of] al-Nasir', and '... al-maliki al-'alim ... al-'alima (sic), '... the possessor, the learned ... the learned.'Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Indo-Portuguese silver filigree casket Probably Goa, 17th Centuryof rectangular form on four feet, the cusped hinged lid with clasp, with lock to front and handle to either side, decorated in tight filigree with quatrefoil motifs and scrolling tendrils on a ground of vegetal scrollwork 19.9 x 12.2 x 12 cm. max.; 1610 g.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection.A filigree casket in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon (inv. no. 114), with a cover of very similar form, has been dated to the seventeenth century (see Mughal Silver Magnificence, exhibition catalogue, Brussels, 1987, p. 152, no. 225). A further example in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (inv. no. 384), illustrated in the same publication, features a similar clasp and lock system and was originally from a convent (op. cit p. 153, no. 227). For a comparable casket sold in these rooms, see Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art, 6 October 2015, lot 108.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Kashan underglaze-painted pottery jug Persia, 12th Centuryof squat bulbous form on a short foot, the body rising to a slightly flaring cylindrical neck, with round handle and flat thumb knop, decorated in cobalt blue and black on a white ground with bands of inscription, the rim with foliate scrollwork and palmettes, with fitted box 12.2 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate Belgian collection, acquired at Mansour Gallery, London on the 1st of September 2000, and thence by descent.Inscriptions: around the neck, repeated in the band around the body, Arabic verses. In a band around the body, undeciphered Kufic inscription.For the same verses as found on the present lot, see the rim on a Kashan cup published in Oya Pancaroglu, Perpetual Glory. Medieval Islamic Ceramics from The Harvey B. Plotnick Collection, New Haven, 2007, p. 104, no. 61. For a jug of comparable form sold at Christie's, see Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 26 April 2012, lot 101. A further example is in the Khalili Collection (see Ernst J. Grube, Cobalt and Lustre, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Oxford, 1994, p. 175, no. 169).Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Four illustrations from a Janamsakhi manuscript, a life of Guru Nanak Provincial Mughal, probably Murshidabad, late 18th Centurygouache on paper, green and red borders 175 x 117 mm.(4)Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection: acquired at Hamilton's, Calcutta, in 1973, by a relative of the current owners.The Janamsakhis (literally, 'life stories') were first compiled in the 17th Century, in various different versions. They consist of collections of anecdotes or tales (sakhi), not always in any particular order, and also include quotations from the Adi Granth as well as other apocryphal sayings of the Guru.They naturally lent themselves to illustration (though images were also produced as paintings in themselves, divorced from any text). For example, an almost complete Janamsakhi manuscript produced in Kabul, Afghanistan, dated 1797, with 538 leaves and 71 stories, had 106 illustrations, of various sizes, and was described as the most richly-decorated example known. Fifteen of these stories dealt with Guru Nanak's life before he received divine inspiration; the remainder dealt with his missionary journeys, in which he travelled throughout India and elsewhere for twenty-four years, spreading his message. See Sam Fogg, Indian Paintings and Manuscripts, London 1999, p. 128, no. 83.It has not been possible to identify the exact stories portrayed in our four paintings, though it appears that Guru Nanak is depicted at both a relatively young age, with the full black beard and red hat with upturned brim in which he is seen in other paintings, as in the examples at auction given below; but also as a mendicant or fakir-like figure.See P. M. Taylor, S. Dhami (edd.), Sikh Art from the Kapany Collection, Palo Alto 2017, pp. 99-115, for a discussion of the Janamsakhi and the portrayal of Guru Nanak's life. For a variety of paintings portraying Guru Nanak and images from Janamsakhi manuscripts, see P. M. Taylor (ed.), Splendors of Punjab Heritage: Art from the Khanuja Family Collection, 2022, pp. 32-43, esp. p. 43. For a discussion of Janamsakhi texts in general, see C. Shackle, Catalogue of the Panjabi and Sindhi Manuscripts in the India Office Library, London 1977, pp. 19-23.See the sale in these rooms, Islamic and Indian Art, 2nd October 2012, lot 206, for a group of four similar Janamsakhi illustrations (also acquired from Hamilton's, in 1967). For other paintings from a Janamsakhi series in a similar style, see Christie's, Islamic and Indian Manuscripts and Works on Paper, 23rd April 2012, lot 319 and 320.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Mamluk enamelled glass beaker Syria, 13th Centuryof cylindrical form with flaring mouth, kick to base and applied base-ring, decorated in polychrome enamel and gilt with three seated figures on a ground of vegetal interlace to the body, above and below bands of palmettes, with traces of inscriptions 19.2 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenanceAcquired at Christopher Sheppard, Kensington Church Street, London, in 2006.The present lot is a remarkable survival from golden age of Islamic enamelled glass production. The technique was developed in Egypt and Syria between the 12th and 15th centuries, with the incorporation of human figures within the decoration of such glassware gradually disappearing from around the turn of the 13th and 14th Centuries. The decoration on our beaker is possibly that of a courtly scene, with two of the figures appearing to hold beakers similar to that which they adorn. This decorative element can also be found on other beakers from the period, including one in the Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury (inv. no. 5017). These beakers were themselves used in courtly settings, likely filled with wine (they are often depicted containing red liquid) or water, creating an overall coherence between decoration and function. Two further beakers are in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (Acc. Nos. 47.17 and 17.18). Some comparable examples sold at auction include a figural glass beaker sold at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian World, 4 October 2012, lot 105; and a beaker sold at Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World & India Including Fine Rugs and Carpets, 31 March 2021, lot 70.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Qajar gold-damascened steel axe with repoussé silver shaft Persia, circa 1900the steel blade of crescent form chiselled and overlaid in gold with an inscription-filled lobed cartouche to each side and bands of vegetal motifs, the butt with a further inscription-filled lobed cartouche, the silver shaft engraved and decorated in repoussé with scrolling bands of figural scenes, the pommel with a band of openwork floral scrollwork and a further figure 71.5 cm. longFootnotes:Inscriptions: dar azal jebril gofta gofta (sic) az lesan-e kerdegar, 'In eternity Gabriel said through the tongue of the Omnipotent God'; la fata illa 'ali la sayf illa dhu'l-faqar, 'There is no youth (as brave as) 'Ali, There is no sword (as sharp as) Dhu'lfaqar'; signed 'amal-e 'ali, 'The work of 'Ali'.For a comparable axe sold at Christie's South Kensington, see Indian & Islamic Works of Art & Textiles, 3 April 2009, lot 72.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Iznik rimless pottery 'grape dish' Turkey, circa 1570-80of shallow rounded form on a short foot, decorated in cobalt blue, green and black on a white ground with a central roundel containing three large bunches of grapes within spiralling tendrils issuing fleshy leaves, a band of alternating stylised palmette motifs to the cavetto, with a narrow zig-zag border, the exterior with vegetal motifs 29.1 cm. diam.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection. The design of Iznik grape dishes is derived from Chinese Yuan and Ming blue and white porcelain ware produced in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Following Sultan Selim I's conquests of Tabriz in 1514, and of Damascus and Cairo in 1517, large quantities of Chinese porcelain and celadons were acquired to adorn the court rooms. As a result, Iznik potters had access to a wide spectrum of designs they had not encountered before, the grape design being one of the most frequently imitated models. Iznik potters emulated the designs of these grape dishes, but also adapted them, resulting in a wide variety of interpretations. Comparison can be made with a dish dated to circa 1530, sold in these rooms (Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 28 April 2005, lot 422), which illustrates how closely the Iznik potters copied Chinese porcelain when they first encountered it. As time passed, the potters broke away from that initial imitation and introduced new ideas resulting in distinctive and individual pieces. The present lot epitomises this, abandoning the Chinese 'breaking wave' rim and instead incorporating a band of stylised palmettes.For further discussion, and examples of comparable rimless dishes, see Atasoy and Raby, Iznik: The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey, London, 1989, pp. 121-4, cat. nos. 189-192. For two rimless Iznik grape dishes sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 24 April 2012, lot 103 & 104. For further comparable examples sold at Christie's, see Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs and Carpets, 28 October 2020, lot 115 & Art of the Islamic & Indian Worlds, 7 April 2011, lot 306.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Umayyad or Early Abbasid amber glass beaker Mesopotamia, 8th/ 9th Centuryof deep cylindrical form, the rounded base with slight kick, the exterior with undulating trailed decoration 8 cm. highFootnotes:ProvenanceAcquired at Christopher Sheppard, Kensington Church Street, London, in 2006.The decorative scheme of the present lot, produced by trails of glass stretched vertically at regular intervals, is rare on early Islamic glass. For a comparable beaker sold at Christie's, see Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 8 April 2008, lot 50.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Five Qajar lacquer pen boxes (qalamdans) Persia, late 19th Centuryeach with rounded ends and sliding tray, variously decorated in polychrome and gilt with figural scenes and portraits the largest 23 cm. long(5)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe first and second: Sotheby's, Islamic Works of Art, 30 April 1998, lot 612.The fourth: Sotheby's, Oriental Miniatures & Manuscripts, Antiquities, Islamic & Indian Art, 18 October 1996, lot 154.The fifth: Sotheby's, Islamic Works of Art, 30 April 1998, lot 611.The first decorated in polychrome and gilt with figural scenes, the base of outer case and sides of inner tray with landscapes on a black ground, 21.6 cm. long.The second decorated in polychrome and gilt with pastoral scenes, 23.1 cm. long.The third decorated in polychrome and gilt with cartouches containing scenes of Mother and Child, interspersed by roundels containing portraits of Europeans and Persians, the base of outer case and sides of inner tray with foliate interlace on a red ground, 22.2 cm. long.The fourth decorated in polychrome and gilt with cartouches containing figural scenes interspersed by roundels containing portraits, the base of outer case with floral scrollwork on a red ground, the sides of inner tray with floral sprays on a red ground, 22.9 cm. long.The fifth with cartouches containing scenes of bearded men and a youth, interspersed by roundels containing portraits of women, 22.6 cm. long.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A scene from a Ramayana series (the 'Second' Guler Ramayana), depicting the battle between the monkeys, directed by Rama, and the demon army outside the walls of Lanka Guler, circa 1790-1800gouache and gold on paper, gold-decorated blue floral inner border, flecked pink outer border 257 x 359 mm.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate collection, Germany.For another Ramayana battle scene from the same series, depicting Rama about to kill Ravana at the height of the battle, see the sale in these rooms, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 25th October 2022, lot 138.See also Bonhams New York, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art, 11th September 2012, lot 89, in which Rama and Lakshmana confer with the monkey army while the battle rages in the background beneath the golden walls of Lanka.For two battle scenes from the series in which the large boulders used by the monkeys appear, and which in our painting has meant a violent end for at least two demons, see Sotheby's New York, Important Indian Paintings from the Gloria Katz and Willard Kuyck Collection, 22nd March 2022, lots 59 and 60.For discussion of the series with other examples, see the footnote to the previous lot.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Ottoman silver and gold-damascened steel leg guard (greave) Turkey, 15th/ 16th Centuryof typical form, engraved and overlaid in silver with split palmette interlace within borders of vegetal designs to the central section, above an inscription, the side panels with further vegetal designs, the central section bearing the tamga of the Ottoman Arsenal of Hagia Eirene 42.8 cm. longFootnotes:ProvenanceCzerny's, Fine Antique Arms and Armour: The K. De Clercq Collection and other properties, 29 March 2014, lot 174.The Mohammed Khalil Collection.PublishedM. K. Ibrahim, Islamic Arms and Armour, Vol. I, United Arab Emirates, 2022, p. 291, cat. no. 280.Inscriptions: al-awwal al-a ..., 'The first ...'The inscription on the present lot is typical of those found on leg guards of this period, commonly consisting of single letters or parts of words. A similar greave is in The Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection (see Bashir Mohamed, The Arts of the Muslim Knight, the Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection, 2007, p. 306, no. 294). A further pair of comparable leg defences is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Accession No. 36.25.457; 1990.229).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A collection of selected suras from the Qur'an and prayers, with numerous diagrams and illustrations of the Ka'ba and the Mosque of the Prophet at Medina, copied by Husain al-Rushdi al-Kastamoni Ottoman Turkey, dated AH 1260/AD 1844-45Arabic manuscript on cream paper, 148 leaves, 11 lines to the page written in naskhi script in black ink, inner margins ruled in gold and black, verse-endings marked by gold roundels dotted in blue and orange, titles and sura headings written in white cursive on a gold ground, one illuminated opening headpiece in colours and gold in rococo style, one further similar headpiece, numerous hilyehs, the names of Allah, the Prophet and 'Ali, stylised diagrams and two depictions of the Ka'ba and the Mosque of the Prophet at Medina, brown stamped leather binding with covers with diaper pattern in gold, doublures of green paper 103 x 78 mm.Footnotes:ProvenanceChristie's, Islamic, Indian and Southeast Asian Manuscripts, Miniatures and Works of Art, 24th November 1987, lot 78.The Shakerine Collection.LiteratureN. Safwat, A Collector's Eye: Islamic calligraphy in Qur'ans and other manuscripts, London 2010, pp. 276-277, no. 73.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: •• Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Max Arthur Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, in six volumes Oxford, 1909six volumes, approximately 350-450 pp. per volume, 22 monochrome lithographed plates across all six volumes, nine photographs of religious buildings and people, anonymous inscriptions dated Calcutta, between 10th September and 1st November 1927, blue cloth 220 x 145 mm.(6)Footnotes:ProvenanceInscriptions dated Calcutta, September-November 1927.Formerly in the Library of Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Trotwood, Ohio (embossed and ink stamps), its name between 1909 and 1954.The six volumes of The Sikh Religion are an impressive achievement, as a feat of writing, of comprehensiveness, and of sheer ability to gather material, both historical and textual. It has remained in print since its publication in 1909 and is the most cited text on the Sikh religion in English.A summary of the contents is as follows:Vol. I, pp. 383, Guru Nanak, his life and writings.Vol. II, pp. 351, the lives and hymns of the second, third and fourth Gurus.Vol. III, pp. 444, the life of Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, and his hymns, photograph of his shrine.Vol. IV, pp. 421, the lives of the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth Gurus, and the hymns of the ninth, Guru Teg Bahadur, photograph of the Akal Bunga, and the Baba Atal tower, Amritsar. Vol. V, pp. 351, the life of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, his compositions, his stance against idolatry, his epistle to the Emperor Aurangzeb, discussion of the musical measures of his hymns, photographs of the shrine at Fatagarh, Muktsar, the temple at Nander, and an Akali.Vol. VI, pp. 453, various religious texts, including the Bhagats of the Granth Sahib, the life and hymns of Jaidev, and of Namdev, Kabir, and Rav Das, photograph of Namdev's shrine at Ghuman, and of two Sikh holy men, index.The Preface opens: 'I bring from the East what is practically an unknown religion'. While, crucially, presenting the newness and distinctness of Guru Nanak and the Sikh religion, Macauliffe also made connections and drew analogies between it and Western religion and philosophy. In a lecture given in Paris, he stated that he was 'not without hope that when enlightened nations become acquainted with the merits of the Sikh religion, they will not willingly let it perish in the great abyss in which so many creeds have been engulfed'. His translation of the Guru Granth Sahib was the first to be accepted by the Sikh community. He had begun to publish parts of his work as he went along as early as 1897, and in 1900 his partial translation of Sikh scripture was published as Holy Writings of Sikhs, in which he had been assisted by Pratap Singh Giani, a Sikh scholar. He also acknowledges in his preface his debt to the Rajah of Nabha, Sir Rajinder Singh, the late Maharajah of Patiala, Rajah Ranbir Singh, the Rajah of Jind, and Sardar Ranjit Singh of Chichrauli. The Rajah of Nabha, in particular, for instance, 'has at considerable expense caused the thirty-one Indian rags, or musical measures, to which the hymns of the Gurus were composed, to be written out in European musical notation by a professional musician whom he employed for the purpose' (preface, p. xxvi). But it was to be sixteen years from his resignation from the Civil Service until the final publication of his magnum opus.For a good account of Macauliffe's work and career, see Harbans Lal, 'The Western Gateway to Sikhism: the life and works of Max Arthur Macauliffe', in K. Brown, Sikh Art and Literature, London 1999, pp. 129-142.Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841-1913)Macauliffe was born in Limerick, Ireland, and was educated at Queen's College, Galway. He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1862 and was posted to the Punjab in 1864, becoming a deputy commissioner at Ferozpur in 1882 and a divisional judge in the same district in 1884. Born a Protestant, he converted to the Sikh religion (while not adopting its external signifiers) and resigned his position in the ICS in 1893. At the time he was derided by his employers for having 'turned a Sikh'. He lived at Amritsar and soon became deeply interested in the Sikh religion. Between 1875 and 1881 he published four articles on Sikhism in the Calcutta Review and had begun to learn the languages of the Guru Granth Sahib.The India Office had commissioned a German missionary and scholar, Dr Ernest Trumpp, who had learned Arabic, Sanskrit, Hindi and Sindhi, to translate the Granth into English, but the partial translation (Trumpp had given up after seven years in despair), which appeared in 1877, was unacceptable, indeed offensive, to many Sikhs. Macauliffe undertook a new translation with the encouragement of Sikh scholars and other figures in the community. He received finanical assistance from Rajah Bikram Singh of Faridkot, as well as Rajah Hira Singh of Nabha, Maharajah Rajinder Singh of Patiala, Rajah Ranbir Singh of Jind, amongst others. Though he saw his labours as serving the political interests of the Sikhs, he by no means saw them as anti-imperial. He saw the Sikhs as potential allies for the British, in a pamphlet with the significant title A lecture on the Sikh religion and its advantages to the state.He employed gianis (professional interpreters of the Sikh scriptures) to help him. In an unprecedented decision, Macauliffe asked that the completed work be scrutinised by a committee of Sikh scriptural scholars, who suggested various emendations and gave it their seal of approval, both linguistic and theological. As well as translating the Granth, he decided to include biographies of the ten gurus of Sikhism and of the Bhagats, the Sant poets whose works also appear in the Granth. When he completed his work, he moved to England, accompanied by his great friend and adviser, Bhai Kahn Singh, the celebrated Sikh scholar, who helped him correct the proofs of his book. In 1909 the Clarendon Press, Oxford, published Macauliffe's The Sikh Religion. Macauliffe, who was unmarried, died in West Kensington, London, on 15 March 1913. His personal assistant remarked in his memoirs that on his death bed, MacAuliffe could be heard reciting the Sikh morning prayer, Japji Sahib, ten minutes before he died. The Sikh Educational Conference passed a vote of condolence and the Sikhs of Rawalpindi set up a Macauliffe Memorial Society to raise funds to establish a library in his memory, but the amount collected was insufficient. Among those who subscribed, and sent a letter of support, was the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, Sir Michael O'Dwyer. The money was eventually given to Khalsa College, Amritsar, to fund an annual Macauliffe Memorial Medal for the best student in Sikh theology and history. The medal is still awarded on an occasional basis. (Partially adapated from the Dictionary of Irish Biography).For a fine and rare copy of Macauliffe's text, presented by the author to the Duke of Connaught in the year of publication, see the sale in these rooms, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 21st May 2024, lot 195.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: •• Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A gold koftgari-hilted steel dagger (bichwa) Deccan, 18th Centurythe double-edged steel blade of curved form with chiselled fullers and widening towards the point, the steel hilt with large convex guard with sharp palmette to one side, the pommel of bulbous form, profusely decorated in gold-overlay to the hilt with floral sprays and motifs 40 cm. longFootnotes:ProvenanceThe Mohammed Khalil Collection.PublishedM. K. Ibrahim, Islamic Arms and Armour, Vol. II, United Arab Emirates, 2022, p. 711, cat. no. 535. The large gold-overlaid circular floral motifs on the handguard of this bichwa are reminiscent of those inlaid in silver and gold on bidri vessels such as a huqqa base sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 2 April 2009, lot 233. These types of bidri designs later found their way onto Deccani jade dagger hilts such as one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (36.25.667). This makes it likely that the present lot was made for a Muslim patron. For a comparable example sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 May 2023, lot 181.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Two Kashan lustre moulded calligraphic pottery tiles Persia, 13th Centuryeach of rectangular form, decorated in cobalt blue, turquoise and a golden brown lustre on a cream ground with inscriptions in thuluth on a ground of scrolling foliate tendrils, framed together the tiles 56.4 x 21.4 cm.Footnotes:ProvenanceChristie's, Islamic Art and Manuscripts, 10 October 2000, lot 232. Private Belgian collection, acquired at Mansour Gallery, London, on the 16th of October 2000, and thence by descent. Inscriptions: Qur'an, Chapter XLI (Fusilat), parts of verses 30 and 31.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A 'Veneto-Saracenic' silver-inlaid bronze bucket bearing the coat of arms of two noble families Venice, 16th Centuryof waisted cylindrical form on a short foot with everted rim, profusely engraved and decorated in silver inlay with two coats of arms, four roundels containing portraits, and floral motifs all on a ground of dense foliate interlace and scrollwork, the base with central roundel containing a flowerhead surrounded by foliate interlace and scrollwork, with zoomorphic handle 23 cm. diam.Footnotes:The present lot is from a group of metalwork whose origin has been the subject of much scholarly debate, and which was previously categorised as 'Veneto-Saracenic'. This label derived from the 19th Century belief that these objects were created by Muslim craftsmen working in Venice, a notion that was first questioned in the 1970s, especially because the Venetian guild system would not have tolerated foreign craftsmen. Recent scholarship indicates that many were in fact exported to Europe from Egypt and Syria and subsequently imitated by local craftsmen. The Mamluks (1250-1517) became the middlemen in the spice trade and transportation of goods between Europe and South and Southeast Asia, with Venice becoming their main European trading partner. As such, a wide variety of goods and objects flowed between the two areas, influencing Venetian tastes, and resulting in both the production of metalwork specifically for export for the Venetian market as well as the development of Mamluk-inspired metalwork created in Europe.Sylvia Auld divides the extant 'Veneto-Saracenic' examples into three sub-categories: the first group (Group A) being typically Mamluk and made in either Egypt or Syria; the second group (Group B) relating to Mahmud al-Kurdi and his circle; and the third group (Group C), to which the present lot belongs, made in Europe, probably Italy, emulating Levantine originals (see Sylvia Auld, Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd: A Metalworking Enigma, London, 2004, p. 8). The influence of export wares on the present lot is evident when compared to a bucket signed by Mahmud al-Kurdi sold at Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs and Carpets, 1 April 2021, lot 10. Both are comprised of a deep rounded form on a flat foot and feature very similar zoomorphic handles. A further comparable example is in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (inv. no. 1878 739). Though probably inspired by objects of this kind, the present lot is more sinuous in its design, incorporating scrolling classicised arabesques as found in pieces assigned to Auld's Group C. A salver in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no. 258-1894) features comparable arabesques and is described by Auld as 'a prime example of a Western craftsman working in 'Islamic' mode' (Auld, p. 236, no. 5.28). A candlestick, also in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. 553-1865), features similar strapwork over a foliate ground, and is assigned by Auld to Group C (Auld, p. 2621, no. 6.26).The present lot also bears two crests belonging to noble families. The first, a shield depicting three dolphins, probably belongs to the Dolfin family, a prominent noble family of Venice, and one of the twelve original noble lineages of the Republic, or 'apostolic families'. The second, a shield bearing a heraldic stripe, may belong to the Giustiniani or Sagredo family. A dish featuring the coats of arms of the Venier and Molin families, illustrated in Auld (p. 8, pl. 1), appears to mark a marriage between the two families. The presence of crests on our bucket, combined with portraits, indicates that it is possible the bucket was made in celebration of a marriage between members of the Dolfin and Giustiniani or Sagredo families.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: †† VAT at the prevailing rate on Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Nishapur buffware pottery bowl Persia, 10th Centuryof deep rounded form on a short foot, decorated in yellow, green and manganese on a buff ground with a mounted warrior, a fallen figure on the ground below, surrounded by quadrupeds and mythical creatures interspersed by vegetal motifs and pseudo kufic inscriptions, the exterior with a band of stylised leaf motifs 22.6 cm. diam.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection, acquired at Christie's, Islamic Art and Manuscripts, 15 October 2002, lot 203.This kind of buffware pottery first came to light in the 1930s following excavations at Nishapur, and contrasted greatly with the restrained colours and use of empty space within the previously known epigraphic wares from the area. Nishapur was not the only centre of production for these types of wares, however it appears to have produced the widest range of designs (Oliver Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, London, 2004, p. 247). An example featuring a warrior on horseback is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (C.294-1987). For a further example sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 6 October 2015, lot 27.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

An Ottoman gilt-copper (tombak) ewer Turkey, 19th Centuryof conical form with rounded lower half, the flaring neck with raised ring, the hinged lid of domed form surmounted by a pine cone, with 's' curved handle and spout, engraved and decorated with floral sprays 36.5 cm. highFootnotes:For an example with comparable floral decoration sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 21 April 2015, lot 119.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Qajar enamelled steel dagger (jambiyya) Persia, 19th Centurythe pattern-welded steel blade of slightly curved form, chased and decorated in gold overlay with a snake running down the centre of both sides, the forte to both sides with an inscription-filled cartouche on a ground of floral interlace, the waisted hilt decorated in polychrome enamel with roundels and cartouches depicting various rulers, including Afrasiyab, and other figures, the sides with cartouches containing inscriptions, all on a ground of floral interlace, the wood scabbard clad in copper and decorated ensuite, with fitted case 45.9 cm. longFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection, acquired at Sotheby's, Islamic and Indian Art, 20 October 1994, lot 134.Inscriptions: including two couplets from a qasidah by the poet Anvari (1126–1189) in praise of Sultan Sanjar; figures identified including Afrasiyab, Sanjar Shah, Hurmuz and Bahram.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: RR This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A rare bronze box and cover for the Islamic market China, 16th/ 17th Centuryof cylindrical form, the flat cover cast to the top with a roundel containing an inscription in Arabic, the roundel surrounded by partial flowerhead motifs, all on a ring-punched ground 10.2 cm. diam.Footnotes:Inscriptions: al-hamdu lillah, 'Praise be to God'.The present lot is inscribed in sini script, a Chinese Islamic calligraphic form of the Arabic script, developed in the early Ming dynasty. For a very similar box sold at Sotheby's New York, see Important Chinese Art, 13 September 2017, lot 144. For a comparable box sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, 8 November 2018, lot 270. For a further example sold as part of a group at Sotheby's New York, see Important Chinese Art, 15 March 2017, lot 560.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A group of fifteen letters and two books relating to the Maharajah of Patiala and the Chamber of Princes Patiala and elsewhere, 1930s-40scomprising: K. M. Panikkar, The Indian Princes in Council: a Record of the Chancellorship of His Highness the Maharajah of Patiala, 1926-31 and 1933-36, Oxford 1936, pp. 184, blue cloth, 187 x 130 mm.The Chamber of the Princes: the Crisis and the Press, pp. 96, a collection of articles from The National Call, n.d., two photographs, reproductions of three satirical cartoons on the crisis, 240 x 150 mm.; and fifteen letters as detailed below letters 330 x 200 mm. and smaller(17)Footnotes:The letters are as follows (all typewritten, in chronological order):1. From the Acting Pro-Chancellor, Chamber of Princes, to the Maharajah of Patiala (c/o the India Office, London), dated Bhuj, Kutch, 7th October 1930, on the subject of the 'difficulties experienced by the States regarding the armament of their State Forces and Police', asking for his opinion.2. From the Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin (later the Earl of Halifax), and signed by him, New Delhi, to Bhupinder Singh, Maharajah of Patiala, as Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, dated 15th March 1931, regarding the establishment of an Indian Military College, and asking for suggestions for members of a panel from the Indian States.3. Signed letter (black-edged for mourning) in French from Jagatjit Singh, the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Kapurthala, 19th May 1932, to an unknown French nobleman, addressed as 'Comte', expressing his thanks for his condolences.4, 5. Two identical letters to an unnamed ruler of Algeria, and another to the ruler of Tunis, from the Maharajah of Patiala, dated His Highness' Summer Capital, Chail, 11th June 1932, introducing Sardar Gobinder Singh Sibia as his representative at the ruler's court 'with a view to ascertain and collect information in regard to the custom, practice, rules and regulations governing the grant of Honours and Decorations of Chivalry, etc., to the relatives, officials and subjects of Your Highness and to the representatives of Foreign Powers at Your Highness' Court', with envelopes.6. A letter addressed to Prince Poniatowski in Paris, from the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Chail, 12th June 1932, apologising for not being able to come to Europe himself but introducing Sardar Gobinder Singh Sibia and sending a present for Princesse Poniatowski, with envelope. Prince Louis Poniatowski (1864-1954) was a Polish nobleman and French banker and industrialist.7. A letter from the Acting Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes to the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Bhuj, 29th August 1932, on the matter of the Indian States' representation on the Railway Board, for discussion at the next Standing Committee.8. A letter addressed to Dhiraj, Maharajah of Patiala, from M. Husain Khan, dated Cambay, 26th November 1933, giving answers to questions on law and pensions.9. A letter from Aditya [...] to the Maharajah of Patiala, as Chancellor of the Chamber, dated Fort Ramnagar, Benares, 4th February 1935, thanking him for sending him copies of a Memorandum and an Opinion relating to the Accession of the Indian States to the proposed Federal Union.10. A letter, dated Lallgarh, Bikaner, 31st October 1935, recommending to the notice of the Maharajah of Patiala the services rendered to the Chamber of Princes by Sir Manubhai Mehta, formerly Prime Minister of Baroda.11. A letter from Umed[?] Singh to the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Kotah, Rajputana, 17th January 1936, welcoming the suggestion of a farewell dinner for the outgoing Viceroy [Freeman Freeman-Thomas, Earl of Willingdon, 1931-36] and the Countess of Willingdon, and agreeing to contribute to a fund.12. A letter from M. Husain Khan [see no. 4] to the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Cambay, 18th February 1936, regarding the above-mentioned dinner, and apologising for not replying sooner due to the combination of his own marriage celebrations and then the death of His Late Majesty the King-Emperor George V, and stating that he will send Rs 250 to K. M. Pannikar at Patiala.13. A letter from Joginder Sen [?] to the Maharajah of Patiala, dated Bejai Palace, Mandi, 9th October 1939, regarding elections to the Standing Committee of the Chamber of Princes.14. A letter from the Maharajah of Patiala, addressed to Lt. Col. HH the Maharajah Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, dated Motibagh Palace, Patiala, 7th March 1941, regarding his attendance at a committee on Indian States Forces to be held later in March.15. A letter from the Maharajah of Patiala, addressed to Lt. Col. HH the Maharajah Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, dated Ranbir Villa Palace, Chail, 24th July 1943, stating that 'I shall attend the meetings of the Civil List Committee proposed to be held at Bombay for 3 days, commencing on the 26th of August next. I shall reach there on the morning of the 23rd August and stay at the Taj Mahal Hotel till evening of the 28th of that month'.Maharajah Bhupinder Singh of Patiala served as the Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes from 1926 to 1931. The Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King-Emperor George V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspirations to the colonial government of British India. It survived until the end of British rule in 1947. For another group of material relating to the Chamber of Princes, see the sale in these rooms, Islamic and Indian Art, 21st May 2024, lot 202.Saleroom notices:Additional notes:Letter 3: this letter should not be included in this lot. There are therefore fourteen letters and two books in this lot, totalling 16 items.Letter 8: M. Husain Khan was the Nawab of Cambay.Letter 9: from Aditya Narain, Maharajah of Benares.Letter 10: from Ganga Singh, the Maharajah of Bikaner.Letter 11: Umed Singh II was the ruler of Kotah, 1889-1940.Letter 12: should refer to letter 8, mentioned above.Letter 13: Joginder Sen was the Rajah of Mandi.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: •• Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A silver-inlaid brass bowl Egypt or Syria, 20th Centuryof deep rounded form, the sides tapering towards a short vertical rim, engraved and decorated in silver inlay with alternating cartouches and palmettes containing inscriptions, above and below bands of vegetal interlace, inscription to base 38 cm. diam.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK collection, acquired at Sotheby's, Islamic Works of Art, Carpets and Textiles, 13 April 1988, lot 454.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries, e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of works of particular origins. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) and Syrian origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid on or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * R* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.R This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A scene from a Ramayana series (the 'Second' Guler Ramayana), depicting Vibhishana, younger brother of the demon king Ravana, together with a retinue of demons bearing gifts, in audience with Rama, the monkey army standing round about Guler, circa 1790-1800gouache and gold on paper, gold-decorated blue floral inner border, flecked pink outer border 255 x 358 mm.Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate collection, Germany.This painting is an illustration from the series known as the 'second' Guler Ramayana, attributed to the first generation of artists after Manaku and Nainsukh. The first section of the series is referred to by W. G. Archer as the Kangra Ramayana series, and is dated circa 1775-1780 (and also as the 'Bharany' Ramayana). This comprises illustrations from the first three books of the Ramayana. Our painting belongs to the second section of the series, comprising illustrations from Books Five and Six, and specifically to Book Six, the Yuddhakanda or the Book of War. Goswamy and Fischer date this second section to circa 1790 and list known paintings belonging to it (M.C. Beach, E. Fischer, B.N. Goswamy (ed.), Masters of Indian Painting 1650-1900, Zurich, 2011, p. 690).For other depictions of the figure of Vibhishana see, for example: Sotheby's New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Works of Art, 21st March 2012, lot 210, depicting Vibhishana bowing before Rama, surrounded by the monkey and bear army, with the fortress of Lanka in the background).In a quieter scene, depicting Sagara (personification of the ocean) appearing before Rama and others, see Sotheby's New York, Important Indian Miniatures from the Paul F. Walter Collection, 14th November 2002, lot 84.Other examples from this series have appeared at auction: particular comparison can be made with the following:Christie's, Arts of India, 12th June 2018, lot 26 (depicting Rama, Lakhshmana and Sita at the hermitage of Bharadvaja).Bonhams, New York, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art, 11th September 2012, lot 89 (Rama and Lakhshmana conferring with the monkey army while other monkeys are in combat with the demon army).Sotheby's New York, Important Indian Paintings from the Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck Collection, 22nd March 2002, lots 59 and 60 (Guler or Kangra, circa 1790; the trees and branches carried by the monkeys are prominent - hints of Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane - and the decoration on the demon chariots is very similar).Sotheby's New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Works of Art, 20th March 2013, lot 319 (Rama and Lakhshmana wounded by the arrow of Indrajit).Sotheby's New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 19th September 1996, lot 185 (the monkey army beginning their assault on Lanka under the direction of Rama).Sotheby's, Oriental Manuscripts and Miniatures, 23rd April 1997, lot 149 (Hanuman conducting a reconnaissance of the fortress of Lanka).Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, Fine Oriental Miniatures, Manuscripts, Islamic Works of Art, and 19th Century Paintings, 14th December 1979, lot 225 (there attributed to Garwhal, circa 1800).Another painting from the series is in the LA County Museum of Art, illustrated in R. C. Craven, Ramayana: Pahari Paintings, Bombay 1990, pp. 98-99, fig. 8. Other pages are also found in the Mittal Collection, Shimla Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.For other pages from the this series see: B. N. Goswamy and E. Fischer, Pahari Masters, Delhi 1997, nos. 143-145, pp. 340-343; D. J. Ehnbom, Indian Miniatures: the Ehrenfeld Collection, New York 1985, nos. 116-118; S. Kossak, Indian Court Painting, 16th-19th Century, New York 1997, no. 62.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Hugo Vilfred Pedersen (Danish, 1870-1959) A Sikh man wearing a red turbanoil on canvas, signed lower right 90.5 x 42 cm.Footnotes:Pedersen studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, and afterwards spent twelve years travelling in the Far East and India. He was probably present at the Delhi Durbar in 1903, painting a portrait of the Viceroy, Lord Curzon.For other works by Pedersen depicting Sikhs, see a portrait study of a Sikh bodyguard of the Maharajah of Burdwan, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 25th October 2022, lot 157; and Islamic and Indian Art Online Sale, 4th-18th June 2019, lot 85.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A large repoussé silver-overlaid copper bowl depicting the avatars of Vishnu Tanjore, circa 1900of deep rounded form with everted rim, engraved and decorated in silver overlay with an arcade of avatars and women within the arches, above and below bands of floral and foliate motifs, the base engraved with a rosette, the interior with silver-overlaid rosette to well and band of foliate motifs to rim 41 cm. diam.Footnotes:An almost identical bowl is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.2014.182.1). A further example of metalwork from Tanjore which features the avatars of Vishnu is an 18th Century lota in Simon Ray, Indian and Islamic Works of Art, November 2011, pp. 64-65. For a comparable but smaller bowl sold in these rooms, see Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 May 2023, lot 184.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Carved sandstone Buddhist steleThailandthe arched niche centred by a figure of Buddha seated in dhyanasana on a double lotus pedestal above a lengthy inscription, the hands in bhumisparsamudra, flanked by several pagodas amidst flames, 17.3cm high.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips, nicks and losses to the extremities.

Bronze seated model BuddhaBurmesewith arms in bhumisparsha mudra, 12cm highProvenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London With overall wear and some holes in the base.

Two silver-wire inlaid ritual vesselsShisou marks, Chinese 17th/18th Centurycomprising an archaistic gu wine vessel with trumpet-shaped neck spreading pedestal beneath a bulbous central section, decorated with inlaid designs of blades and stylised chilong, 15cm high; the second, an archaistic gui, set with handles issuing from stylised animal heads with pendent tabs, the body with inlaid designs of taotie masks, key-fret and geometric bands. 16.5cm wide.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Surface wear and tiny nicks to the extremities

Sukhotai slip-painted ‘fish’ dishThailandwell-potted, decorated with painted designs of a fish swimming in a pond, 26.3cm diam.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips and nicks to the extremities and surface wear.

Pottery Haniwa-style figure of a shamanJapanesemodelled as a female figure wearing a flat-brimmed hat and a beaded necklace around her neck, the body a reddish brown clay, the base oblong and pierced, 14.5cm high.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips and losses to the extremities.

Group of three painted pottery disheswell-potted, with a flaring rim raised on a short foot, the interior decorated with painted stylised cream designs on a brown ground, the largest 18cm diam.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Surface wear, chips and nicks to the extremities.

Two fragments of Middle-Eastern blue and white tilesdecorated in underglaze-blue with intricate designs of floral shrubs issuing curling tendrils, the largest 19.5cm wide (2)Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips, scratches and losses

Glazed pottery vessel and coverChinese, Han or laterin the form of a temple and cover, 14cm highProvenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Some crazing, wear and chips.

Thangka of the BuddhaDistemper on cloth, with 18th Century silk mountsthe Buddha seated in dhyanasana on a lotus base over a lion throne, his hands held in adhyana mudra, in which sits an alms bowl, wearing rich red and green brocade robes, surrounded by various dharmapalas and monks amongst lush trees and greenery, 32cm x 24cmProvenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London The painting with wear, creases and fading. The mounts stained and discoloured.

Collection of books on Iranian artto include books in English and French; including 'Copper, Brass and Bronze of Iran, From the Late 14th to the mid-18th Century in the Hermitage Collection', A.A. Ivanov, Azimuth Editions, published in the United Kingdom, London, first published in Russia, 2014 (3)Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London At present, there is no condition report prepared for this lot, this in no way indicates a good condition, please contact the saleroom for a condition report.

Kashan turquoise-glazed pottery dishIran, 13th Centurywell-potted, resting on a short foot, decorated on the well with stylised palmettes amidst foliage, the cavetto with scrolling designs, glazed throughout save for the foot and base, 25.5cm diam.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips and nicks to the extremities.

Persian School (19th Century)Procession of cavalry in an extensive mountainous landscape with fort, the figures mounted on horses and camels, inscribed 'H D Willock' to a label verso, oil on canvas, 124cm x 98.5cmProvenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Relined, craquelure, cockled and signs of wear consistent with age and use. Small losses/flaking. Frame with splits. Framing in need of attention/duct tape securing canvas in frame. The back of the frame has holes.

Bronze figure of TaraTibet, 14th/15th Centuryseated in lalitasana on a double-lotus pedestal with the pendant leg resting on a lotus blossom extending from the base, clad in a dhoti with incised patterns, with a lotus blossom beside her left shoulder, the face flanked by large pendant earrings and surmounted by a tiara, the hair pulled into a high chignon, 12.5cm high, weight 660 grams approxProvenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.Peter Lasko (1924-2003), Director of the Courtauld Institute from 1974-1985 Rubbing of the gilding, scratches and some losses of the hard stones

Collection of books and catalogues on Islamic ceramics and metalwork to include 'The world of the Fatimids', edited by Assadullah Souren Melokian-Chirvani, Aga Khan Museum, in association with The Institute of Islami Studies and Hirmer, first published in Canada and Germany in 2018 by Aga Khan Museum, Toronto; 'Metalwork Treasures from the Islamic Courts', James Allan with a contribution by Francis Maddison, published to coincide with the exhibition Metalwork Treasures from the Islamic Courts, Doha, Qatar, 21-29 March 2002, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar, in conjunction with The Islamic Art Society, London 2002; Benaki Museum Athens, 'Early Islamic Ceramics, Ninth to Late Twelfth Centuries' Helen Philon, Volume I, Islamic Art Publications, Distributed by Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, First published 1980 by Islamic Art Publications S.A. and 'Masterpieces of Western Ceramic Art', Vol IV, Islamic Pottery, Robert J. Charleston, Kodansha, 1979, Tokyo (4)Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London At present, there is no condition report prepared for this lot, this in no way indicates a good condition, please contact the saleroom for a condition report.

Three Sawankhalok pottery boxes14th/15th? Century or laterof circular form, two with shaped covers and finials decorated with stylised floral, foliate and geometric designs, one plain, the largest 12.9cm diam.Provenance: the late Oliver Watson (1949-2023), Emeritus Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture and curator of Islamic Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the School of Oriental Studies, London Chips, nicks and losses to the extremities.