Mallams’ Asian & Islamic Art sale crowned a success

Mallams’ first bi-annual Asian & Islamic Art sale of 2024 took place on Thursday the 9^th of May at the Cheltenham saleroom. Preceded by a large amount of interest, enquiries and three busy days of viewing, the sale proved a success. 

One of the top-selling lots of the sale was lot 309, a 19^th/early 20^th-century Bengal School oil on canvas/cloth on a later board depicting Tantric Hindu goddess Tripurasundari, illustrated with a red complexion, and wearing a crown upon her head in the form of a crescent-shaped moon. The piece was formerly in the collection of the late Don Factor, art collector and was purchased in London in the 1970s. After a bidding battle between the internet and telephone lines, with an estimate of £400 to £600, the piece eventually sold to an international online bidder for £20,000.

Mallams was pleased to offer two further Bengal School paintings from this collection. This included the top performing lot of the sale, lot 308, another 19^th/early 20th-century oil on canvas/cloth on a later board, this time depicting Kali, the Tantric goddess of destruction, crouching on her husband, the god Shiva. With an estimate of £400 to £700, the lot sold for £22,000 to an international online bidder. Lot 310, a final 19^th/early 20^th Century oil on canvas/cloth on a later board from this collection, estimated at £400 to £600, depicting the Tantric goddess Chinnamasta, clutching her severed head, her head drinking one of three streams of blood pouring from her neck, sold for £20,000 to an international online bidder.

Lot 399 was another top performer, an 18^th/19^th Century Chinese bronze censer, in the form of a central rectangular casket, with a pierced cover with dragons, clouds and dogs, flanked by two guardian figures, with a six-character mark to the base. There was a high amount of interest in the lot in the lead-up to the sale and many inspected the object during the viewing days. With an estimate of £400 to £700, the hammer went down at £17,500 to an international telephone bidder.

Mallams was pleased to offer numerous Japanese lots, including lot 394, a Meiji period metal and shakudo Kodansu cabinet on a dragon-carved hardwood base, in the form of a Buddhistic Shrine. The item attracted interest in the lead-up to the sale and many surveyed it during the viewing days. Estimated at £5,000 to £8,000, the lot sold for £12,000 to an online UK bidder.

The sale featured a selection of tiles, including lot 165, a large 19^th Century Iranian polychrome Qajar tile, painted with four kneeling figures beneath birds in flight. With three telephone lines on the lot, it eventually sold for £4,400 to a UK telephone bidder.

Mallams was pleased to offer Vietnamese lots in this sale. This included lot 147, a late 13^th/14^th Century blue and white porcelain jar, painted with bands of fish and peonies. Formerly in the collection of the late Robert Hall (1951-2023), the jar was accompanied by a copy of an Oxford Authentication Ltd thermoluminescent test (14^th July 2004). With an estimate of £300 to £400, the jar sold for £900 to an online UK bidder.

Mallams cataloguer Kitty Jones comments: ‘It was brilliant to see such great results achieved on the day of the sale. A particular highlight for me was watching the Bengal School paintings sell so well, as I enjoyed cataloguing them and expanding my knowledge of Hinduism.’

The Cheltenham office is now accepting entries for the 6^th of November Asian and Islamic Art sale (closing date 16^th October). If you have items that you are considering selling at auction, please email cheltenham@mallams.co.uk or call 01242 235 712.

All prices above are subject to a 30% buyer’s premium (VAT inclusive).