Round the auction houses

Apollo, April, 2004

Islamic art is the most alluring of the sales in April, a month that quietly precedes the summer bonanza of exceptional European works. The Imbros gold cup is the highlight of Arts of the Islamic world at Sotheby's, New Bond Street on 28 April. The cup (estimated between 400,000 [pounds sterling] and 600,000 [pounds sterling]) was discovered in 1917 in Turkey, within an amphora at the foot of an early Bronze Age tumulus. Islamic Art at Christie's, London on 27 April, meanwhile, includes various Iznik pottery tiles (one of which is estimated between 40,000 [pounds sterling] and 60,000 [pounds sterling]).

Notable European objects are nevertheless on sale, especially the Albion collection of portrait miniatures at Bonham's, London on the 22 April. Among the works being sold is one by Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619), whose Portrait of Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton is estimated between 70,000 [pounds sterling] and 90,000 [pounds sterling]. More spectacular within its field is the library of Quentin Keynes, the grandson of Charles Darwin, on sale at Christie's, London on 7-8 April. The collection is expected to fetch 2.5 million [pounds sterling], and includes a complete collection of the books of Richard Burton.

Of what little European painting is on offer, Still life of pink and red roses in a Chinese vase by Scottish Colourist Samuel Peploe is estimated at 200,000 [pounds sterling] to 250,000 [pounds sterling] in Scottish Pictures at Sotheby's, Hopetoun House, near Edinburgh, on 19 April.