The Antiques Trade Gazette Award for Outstanding Indian or Islamic Work of Art from an Auction House goes to Sotheby's for the Mughal spectacles set with emerald lenses in diamond-mounted frames.
As an item of a type never seen before, the spectacles provided an irresistible wow-factor for the judging panel and highlighted the diversity of objects that can appear in this category.
At auction on October 27 they will be accompanied by a second pair whose lenses are made from diamonds. Each has an estimate of £1.5m-2.5m.
In the dealer section, the winner of the Apollo award for the Indian or Islamic Outstanding Work of Art is the 19th century Indian sword presented by Peter Finer.
A 19th century Indian sword presented by Peter Finer is the winner of the dealer category of the Asian Art in London Indian or Islamic Outstanding Work of Art.
The judges were impressed by its remarkably decorated hilt which is cast in silver and overlaid in gold. The eyes of each of the five animals on it are inset with rubies, as are the ears of the smaller makaras (mythological sea-creatures) and lions. The makaras each have a blood-red glass tongue that is hinged to move up and down between sharp gold teeth.
The winners of the East Asian art awards will be announced online on Thursday October 28.
