News in Brief – including a record for an Islamic work on paper

Shahnameh – or ‘Book of Kings’ – made for Shah Tahmasp of Persia (r.1524-76).

31 Oct 2022

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In Numbers

£6.8m

The hammer price (£8.1m with premium) paid for a folio from the Shahnameh – or ‘Book of Kings’ – made for Shah Tahmasp of Persia (r.1524-76) as part of Sotheby’s Arts of the Islamic World & India auction on October 26.

Offered with an estimate of £4m-6m the folio, depicting the great hero Rustam recovering his horse Rakhsh, set a new record for any Islamic work on paper. The previous high of £6.6m was set by a folio from the same manuscript sold at Sotheby’s in 2011.

Anglo-Saxon hoard bought ahead of auction by archaeological society

A large group of 6th-7th century Anglo-Saxon artefacts, known as the Ozengell Hoard, has been bought by Kent Archaeological Society.

They were due to be auctioned at south London saleroom Roseberys on October 28 with an estimate of £12,000-15,000 but were instead sold to the society for “further research and the preservation of Kent’s heritage”.

The 1700 items of jewellery, glass and pottery had been part of finds excavated from burials in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery near Ramsgate in Kent. The first discoveries from this location were made in 1846 during the construction of the Ramsgate-Deal railway.

The Ozengell Hoard bought by the society was found in the course of excavations between 1977-81. The collection was given to landowner, farmer and businessman David Steed.

Budd auction house makes new signings

David Convery joins Graham Budd.

Graham Budd Auctions has added David Convery and John Garrett to its sporting memorabilia team. Convery has 34 years’ experience in the auction world and was head of sporting memorabilia at Christie’s.

He joins as head of sporting memorabilia/collectables at Graham Budd.

Garrett, who has spent 25 years at Sheffield United FC, joins as senior valuer.

John Garrett has joined the Graham Budd team.

The company was recently sold by Budd to a syndicate led by businessman Tim Murphy.

As part of the deal Adam Gascoigne, who runs sports memorabilia conservators and framers Sportsframe, is now CEO.

Former Sotheby’s director Budd, who founded the sports memorabilia specialist auction house 18 years ago, remains as chairman.

Halstead now heads the Bonhams team

Bonhams has appointed Lazarus Halstead as head of the Asian art department.

Lazarus Halstead has joined Bonhams as head of its Asian art department in Knightsbridge, having worked in the field of Asian art for more than 10 years.

He joins from Chiswick Auctions where he introduced themed sales and auctions of Chinese paintings, building up the sales over an eight-year period.

Chiswick new face

Tiago Cordeiro-Soares has replaced Halstead at Chiswick.

Chiswick has appointed Tiago Cordeiro-Soares as head of Asian Art, replacing Halstead. He joins from Sotheby’s where he worked for seven years in both the valuations and the Chinese works of art department.

Rubens among 10 Old Masters in NY

Rubens’ Salome presented with the severed head of Saint John the Baptist – estimate $25m-35m at Sotheby’s.

A rediscovered Rubens and nine other Baroque paintings will be offered at Sotheby’s New York in January.

They were acquired by real estate developer Mark Fisch and US judge Rachel Davidson, who filed for divorce earlier this year. Known as the Fisch Davidson collection, works were purchased over three decades by the couple.

Focused on Baroque art 1600-50, it comprises some of the “very finest paintings in private hands” according to Sotheby’s, including works by Guercino, Bernardo Cavallino, Valentin de Boulogne, Orazio Gentileschi and Sir Peter Paul Rubens. The 10 works will headline Sotheby’s Master’s Week Auctions.

The highlight is Rubens’ Salome presented with the severed head of Saint John the Baptist which was previously believed to have been lost prior to its rediscovery in 1998. It has an estimate of $25m-35m.