Eastern art collection of a lifetime
A single owner collection of Eastern art and furnishings will go under the hammer in North Yorkshire later this month.
Comprising nearly 400 lots all hailing from a vast swathe of Asia, from Istanbul to Japan, the collection was put together by AT Dexter, a second-generation antiques dealer who fell in love with Eastern art forms and culture.
Mr Dexter has travelled extensively in India, Turkey and Egypt, and has amassed a unique collection with the eye of a dedicated connoisseur. The collection reflects Mr Dexter’s wide-ranging interests, and his fascination with Orientalist art.
With something to catch the eye of every buyer, the sale offers both decorative and affordable lots of furniture and furnishings as well as works of art appealing to specialist collectors.
Highlights of the sale include:
- Fine quality 19th-century Syrian furniture, mainly from Damascus
- Chinese furniture and Indian and Persian paintings
- Chinese, Tibetan and Nepalese bronzes and religious sculpture.
- Carpets, Islamic metalware and European items in an Orientalist style such as a group of Austrian figures of Arabs.
Elsewhere, other key lots are an Indian bronze figure of Ganesha, probably made in the 10th century, with an estimate of £1,000-1,500; a Ming Dynasty (probably 16th century) gilt bronze Buddha, estimated at £600-800; and an South Indian Bronze Amaravati School Figure of Buddha from the 10th/12th century, estimated at £1,000-1,500.
Estimates for many of the good, decorative furnishing pieces start at under £100. Pieces that may attract attention include a colourful kilim upholstered sofa with an estimate of £300-500, an Ottoman cabinet inlaid with bone with an estimate of £500-700, and an impressive Cairoware brass lamp stand on offer with an estimate of £300-500. The collection has a good selection of small decorative inlaid side tables, such as an Ottoman Khatan octagonal table estimated at £700-1,000.
The sale takes place on January 18.