Bonhams to Offer Three Auctions of Islamic, Indian, South Asian and Middle Eastern Art in London
The Facts
Bonhams will present a series of three live auctions at its New Bond Street saleroom in London this May and June, featuring masterworks across Islamic and Indian Art (May 21, 2026), Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art (June 2, 2026), and Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art (June 4, 2026). The Islamic and Indian Art sale is led by an important illustration from the 'large' Guler Basohli Bhagavata Purana series, attributed to Fattu or a close follower of Manaku, circa 1760–65, depicting Krishna and the Gopis escaping a snake demon, estimated at £100,000–150,000. Other highlights include a pair of early 19th-century silver-inlaid brass candlesticks from Egypt or Greater Syria (£45,000–55,000), a rare gold koftgari steel sword (tulwar) depicting Guru Nanak (£80,000–120,000), and a collection of Sikh Akali-Nihang accoutrements (£20,000–30,000). The Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sale features Jehangir Sabavala's 'The Breakthrough' (£300,000–500,000) and Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar's 'Untitled (Krishna Tames Kaliya Nag)' (£100,000–150,000). Nima Sagharchi, Group Head of Middle Eastern, Islamic and South Asian Art, noted the series reflects cross-cultural dialogues shaping collecting today.
The Signal
This concentrated auction series signals Bonhams' strategic focus on a collecting category that has seen growing global demand, particularly for museum-quality works from the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. The inclusion of rare historical material, such as the Basohli Bhagavata Purana illustration and the Sikh sword, alongside modern masters like Sabavala and Hebbar, offers collectors a curated cross-section of artistic traditions that are increasingly recognized for their investment potential and cultural significance. For collectors, the sale provides an opportunity to acquire works with strong provenance and scholarly interest, while the market for South Asian modernism continues to mature, with Sabavala's work representing a benchmark for the category.
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- Artists: Jehangir Sabavala, Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar, Fattu, Manaku
- People: Nima Sagharchi, Sir Hickman Beckett Bacon, George Burnett Abercrombie Rind
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Locations: London
- Prices: £100,000–150,000, £45,000–55,000, £80,000–120,000, £20,000–30,000, £300,000–500,000
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