- Sotheby’s London’s Arts of the Islamic World & India sale on 29th April will feature rare Quranic manuscripts, such as a 14th-century Mamluk Quranic page.
- The auction will also present a significant collection of Islamic arms and armour, assembled by Philippe Gilles René Missillier.
Sotheby’s London is set to host its biannual Arts of the Islamic World & India sale on 29th April, showcasing an array of Islamic manuscripts and ceramics. Among the highlights are rare Quranic manuscripts and pages.
One of the standout pieces is a large Quranic page from 14th-century Mamluk Egypt, written in Muhaqqaq script on paper. Estimated at £6,000–£8,000, the page features verses from Surah Al-Hijr, written in black ink, with gold and black borders. The verses are separated by interwoven yellow markers and golden floral motifs, reflecting the refined manuscript production of the Mamluk era.
Also featured is a 14th-century miniature Quran from Iraq, comprising 174 leaves and a cover leaf. Written in Naskh script with black ink, its chapter titles are rendered in gold and framed in black. While the opening pages display intricate ornamentation, the rest of the manuscript emphasises the scribe’s craftsmanship through restrained decoration, incorporating vegetal and geometric motifs. The leather cover is stamped with gold, while the pages are bordered in gold and black, with golden circles marking verse separations.
Another manuscript in the auction is a large leaf with a Qur’anic verse. It hails from the Near East or North Africa, dating to approximately 850–950 CE. Written in Kufic script with brown ink, the leaf contains verses from Surah Yusuf (12), with diacritical marks and the surah title in red. Estimated at £10,000–£15,000, it exemplifies early Qur’anic calligraphy.
Spanning over 500 years of history, the auction features more than 100 lots from the Arab world, North Africa, Iran, and Turkey, representing a wide range of artistic traditions and media.
In addition to manuscripts, Sotheby’s will present an extensive collection of Islamic arms and armour, assembled over five decades by scholar-collector Philippe Gilles René Missillier (1949–2022). The collection offers a comprehensive view of Islamic military artistry, from the age of chivalry to the gunpowder revolution and beyond. Highlights include rare Mamluk and Aqqoyunlu pieces, artifacts from the Turkenbeute (loot from the Siege of Vienna), and historically significant weapons, such as the personal swords of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and French army officer Claude Martin. Featuring arms from the Safavid, Ottoman, and Mughal empires, the collection highlights the interconnected motifs and influences that shaped Islamic art across centuries.
Prior to the auction, items will be exhibited at Sotheby’s gallery in Dubai International Financial Centre from 7th April to 11th. This sale marks the first public display of the collection since the landmark 1988 exhibition Splendeur des Armes Orientales, the most significant showcase of Islamic arms and armour in the past two centuries.
Additionally, Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Middle East auction will include a selection of works by leading regional artists, among them an untitled painting by Burhan Dogançay.
