LONDON - Christie's much anticipated bi-annual auction of Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets will take place on 12 November, celebrating over a millennium of artistic production across the Islamic world and the Indian subcontinent. Comprising over 230 lots, the sale features a selection of manuscripts, paintings, ceramics, metalwork and textiles, highlighting the creativity and craftsmanship of cultures stretching from Spain and North Africa to India and Central Asia, led by an exquisite Syrian wooden panel (estimate: £300,000-400,000). Alongside these works, the auction presents a distinguished selection of rugs and carpets from across the Islamic world, including examples from Persia, Anatolia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, led by a rare dark ground Caucasian 'Dragon' carpet (estimate: £100,000-150,000). Reflecting centuries of design innovation and technical mastery, the offering encompasses a range of weaving traditions, from finely knotted court carpets to tribal and village weavings. With estimates ranging from £600 to 400,000, the full pre-sale exhibition is open from 7 to 11 November.

Geometric Wonders

Islamic art is widely associated with masterful geometry. A very rare Ayyubid or Mamluk bone-inlaid wooden panel, which is thought to have been produced in Syria in the second or third quarter of the 13th century, exemplifies the amazing deep carving that is found in the best geometric woodwork (estimate: £300,000-400,000). Combining very strong geometry contrasted with intricate floral decoration, it reflects the traditions of mediaeval Syria that started in the 12th century and had been mastered by the 13th century. There has not been a comparable example on the market in recent memory. Further geometric works include a highly sophisticated 16th century Safavid door, decorated in khatamkar work showcasing this Persian marquetry technique (estimate: £200,000-300,000). Finely inlaid with wood, ivory and metal, the door is beautifully executed and builds on a technique that was developed in the 15th century under the Timurids.

Lot 16. An Ayyubid or Mamluk bone-inlaid wooden panel, Syria or Egypt, second or third quarter 13th century. Panel 145.5 x 101cm; frame 174.5 x 129.5cm. Estimate GBP 300,000 – GBP 400,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Of rectangular form, the panel arranged in a large geometric composition centred on two ten-pointed stars, the stars radiating towards ten polygonal arrowhead shaped panels, surrounded by similar groups with five-pointed stars and panels above and below, pointing towards half and quarter ten-pointed stars in the corners and top and bottom centres, stars and panels partially inlaid with wood and bone, framed.

Lot 31. A Safavid khatamkar and geometric inlay wooden door, Safavid Iran, 16th century; 205.8 x 59.5cm. Estimate GBP 200,000 – GBP 300,000
© Christie's Images Ltd 2026

The rectangular door with rounded hinge post above, the face with large central geometric panel flanked above and below by smaller panels each with shaped tesserae inlaid in a variety of materials including ivory, ebony, brass and stained ivory forming a complex geometric interlace design, in a border of chevron stripes similarly intricately worked with a variety of inlays flanking small squares containing similarly worked maze repeats of the name 'Ali in square kufic, outer bold chevron stripe in two different woods, the reverse of the door with three panels, a large rectangle flanked above and below by smaller panels all filled with a complex geometric arrangement, a heavy chain affixed to one side, restorations, some damages to inlay.

The superb selection of nearly 80 rugs and carpets is led by two important Classical 18th century examples of the village weaving tradition in the Caucasus. The first is a rare dark ground Caucasian 'Dragon' carpet from the late 17th/early 18th century with what is believed to be a unique border design, which comes to the market for the first time in over 40 years, from an important Italian collection (estimate: £100,000-150,000). Our longstanding fascination with the imagery of the mythical 'Dragon' first appeared in China and Mesopotamia during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages but which swiftly travelled across the Silk Road in various art forms including metal work, manuscripts and weavings as exemplified by this carpet where it takes on a very geometric, angular, bold formation. Created by skilled craftsmen, it has an amazing colour palette of natural dyes with phenomenal saturation including Tyrian purple sourced from the mucus of predatory marine sea snails. The other significant 18th Caucasian carpet is a well preserved south Caucasian Karabagh carpet with a striking ascending repeat design of alternating radiating 'sunburst' medallions and enclosed lozenge medallions woven during a period of design transition and which acted as the prototype for later 19th century Caucasian carpets (estimate: £60,000-80,000). Often cited, with comparables in museums around the world, it hails from an important European private collection and was last publicly exhibited in 1999 in Switzerland.

Lot 169. A Caucasian 'Dragon' carpet, Karabagh region, Azerbaijan, late 17th-early 18th century; 455cm. x 215cm. Estimate GBP 100,000 – GBP 150,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Mamluk Glass

Building on the success of the Mamluk glass footed bowl which set a new world record price at auction for Islamic glass last season this sale presents another notable example with exceptional provenance: the upper section of a Mamluk mosque lamp that was made for Sultan Hasan, who ruled in the 14th century and was one of the most prolific architectural patrons of the day (estimate: £200,000-300,000). The Mamluks are widely considered to have been the greatest producers of enamelled and gilded glass, which is cherished for its beauty, technical brilliance and rarity. Sultan Hasan would have commissioned a large number of these lamps to cover the ceilings of his complex, an enormous building at the foot of the citadel in Cairo which remains one of the most incredible monuments of Mamluk architecture. Mamluk mosque lamps are considered a highly desirable icon of Islamic art. Of the 50 examples from the period of Sultan Hasan that are known to survive, it is extremely rare for one to come to the market.

Lot 17. The upper section of a Mamluk mosque lamp, Egypt, period of Sultan Hasan (R. 1347-61 with interruptions); 15.5cm high; 26cm diam. at mouth. Estimate GBP 200,000 – GBP 300,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026
 

Of typical flaring form, the surface decorated in thick enamels with a bold cobalt inscription on gilt ground with scrolling white vine issuing red and green leaves, the inscription interrupted by roundels with red titular inscriptions between scrolls on blue ground, a band below with a red and gilt band of fish and foliate motifs interrupted by small lotus roundels, repaired and completed with clear acrylic infill.

Indian Works of Art

Fuelled by the continued interest and notable prices achieved for Indian painting at Christie's in April, an unusually large painting of a royal procession of Maharao Ram Singh II of Kotah, who ruled in the second quarter of the 19th century, leads the offering this season (estimate: £200,000-300,000). One of the last great patrons of Rajasthani court painting, Maharao Ram Singh II is known to have commissioned a number of grand paintings, of which this is thought to be the largest. Another important 19th century painting is by Bishan Singh, the leading Sikh painter at the time, and documents the entire process of producing Kashmir shawls (estimate: £120,000-180,000). This follows the strength of demand for a series of paintings by Bishan Singh which illustrates the individual stages of shawl production and were offered from The Personal Collection of Prince & Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan in 2025. It has excellent provenance, coming directly from the family of the founder of a French Kashmir shawl and lace importer, who likely commissioned or bought it around the time of one of the great exhibitions in Paris.

Lot 141. A procession of Maharao Ram Singh II of Kotah, Kotah, Rajasthan, India, circa 1835-40. Opaque pigments heightened with gold on cloth, losses, on later canvas and stretcher. Painting 131 x 307.3cm; overall 153.2 x 328cm. Estimate GBP 200,000 – GBP 300,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Lot 145. The production of Kashmir shawls, signed by Bishan Singh (1836 – circa 1900), Amritsar, 1932 VS / 1875-76 AD. Opaque pigments heightened with gold and silver on paper, inscribed in gold Gurmukhi in the lower left, within white margins and black rules, backed onto cotton, the verso plain. Painting 49.5 x 84cm; folio 65.5 x 96.5cm. Estimate GBP 120,000 – GBP 180,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Further enviable provenance is exemplified by eleven paintings from a royal copy of the Zafarnama, which was commissioned by the Muhgal Emperor Akbar between 1595 and 1600 (estimates ranging from £30,000 to £180,000). The Zafarnama, or 'Book of Victory' is a history of Timur, commissioned by his grandson. The paintings in this sale are by the foremost artists of the period. Known to have been a bibliophile Akbar was illiterate making illustrations of such manuscripts particularly important. Through this group of 11 folios it is possible to trace the history of the Emperor Timur.

Lot 105. Timur visited the saint Baba Sanku in Andkhud by Manohar, Mughal India, circa 1595-1600. Folio 120 from the Royal Mughal Zafarnama of Yazdi, opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, two lines of black nasta'liq above and below, gold and polychrome rules, plain paper margins, ascribed to the artist and illustration numbered '27' in red nasta'liq in the lower margin, the reverse with 7ll. black nasta'liq arranged horizontally and on the diagonal. Painting 13.4 x 9cm; text panel 18.5 x 9.9cm; folio 28.1 x 19.8cm. Estimate GBP 80,000 – GBP 120,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026
 

A gem-set gold 'Temple' necklace from South India dating to the 19th or early 20th century is one of a small group of jewellery in the sale that was mostly acquired by Adeline Pepper Gibson, an American heiress whose family made their fortune in Philadelphia in the Gilded Age (estimate: £20,000-30,000). One of two examples in the sale, developed in connection with ornaments made for Hindu deities and also worn by temple dancers, by the 19th century related forms were used as ceremonial and bridal jewellery.

Indian carpets are led by a superb early 19th century Agra carpet (estimate: £80,000-120,000) which formerly belonged to the famous collector Mary Griggs Burke (1916-2012) whose collection was later divided between the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Of exceptional quality this Agra carpet was woven at a time when India's carpet weaving industry was undergoing a renaissance adopting earlier 17th century Safavid designs, reimagined for a wealthy Western audience. With an almost undetectable knot count to the naked eye, the sale includes a fabulously fine and diminutive hand woven Kashmiri rug woven with Pashmina wool on a silk foundation with an astonishing total of over two and half million knots (estimate: £8,000-12,000).

Lot 200. An Agra carpet, North India, first half 19th century. Of 'Shah 'Abbas' design, light localised wear and corrosion, a few minor repairs, selvages rebound, overall very good condition ; 479cm. x 419cm. Estimate GBP 80,000 – GBP 120,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

A sale rich in beauty and significance, other highlights include a second significant group of arms and armour from the collection of Howard Ricketts, which perfectly demonstrate the material and cultural heritage of the Islamic and Indian world, and a rare and highly desirable early 'Damascus' Iznik dish, with soft colours, dating to circa 1545 (estimate: £40,000-60,000). The labour intensive process of Sericulture and silk weaving is highlighted in this sale with exceptional examples from across the Silk Road including an Ottoman silk Koum Kapi prayer rug, silk weavings from the oases towns in the Tarim Basin, central Asia, to an impressive group of luxurious Persian Qajar silk palace carpets from an important private collector, (estimates range from £5,000 to £50,000). Elsewhere, further building on the demand exhibited in the April auction, the sale includes a number of pictorial Kirman carpets by 19th century Qajar master weavers showcasing the cross-cultural symbiosis of Persian weavers looking at European imagery such as the work of the French Rococo artist Jean-Antoine Watteau and reconfiguring elements within a Persianate style (estimates: £20,000-30,000).