This raised £223,000 with 70 per cent sold by lot. Heading this was another painted miniature entry, an album of 38 Indian Company school watercolours from a Tanjore artist c.1837, which sold for £18,000. It depicts various mendicants, castes and occupations, including a Mahratta Tailor, a Basket Maker or Caravah Caste, a Cotton Weaver, Silver Weaver, and Gentoo Goldsmith. Painted on watermarked paper with various early-19th century dates and contained in a green Morocco binding labelled Costumes of India by a native of Madras with the original index, each folio measures 10 x 13in (25 x 34cm).
The album was the property of the late Mrs Pegaret Anthony, a stage designer and costume historian who taught at the Central St Martins School.
Castes and careers in watercolour
As well as Christie’s main Islamic arts sale at King St, there was a larger 427 lot event covering the same general areas at middle-ranking level in their South Kensington (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) rooms on April 25.
