Iran Says Christie's London Selling Stolen Art

Iranian history to go under hammer at Christie�s: "Iranian history to go under hammer at Christie’s
TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) -- A collection of Iran’s historic and ancient artworks are to be sold at Christie’s auction house in London during three sales entitled “Faces from the Ancient World, a European Private Collection”, “Islamic Art and Manuscripts”, and “Oriental Rugs and Carpets.”
An Achaemenid era bas-relief depicting the head of a soldier, which had been severed from the eastern staircase of the Apadana Palace in Persepolis, will be sold in Faces from the Ancient World on April 20. The bas-relief was smuggled from Iran about 70 years ago and was purchased for the first time in 1971 at Sotheby’s, another London-based auction house.

Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (CHTO) was informed on April 3 that the owner of the bas-relief intended to sell it at Christie’s and immediately notified the auction house to halt the sale of the artifact. The legal complaint filed against the owner of the bas-relief by the CHTO demanding its return was presented to a London court on April 18.

The bas-relief has been estimated to be worth £200,000 to £300,000, making it the most expensive item of all the artworks offered in the auction.

Three bronze situlae dating back to the 11th to 10th centuries BC; a bronze whetstone socket with hone from the late 2nd to early 1st millennium BC from the southwestern Iranian province of Lorestan; and a Parthian/Sassanid bone figure of an idol dating back to the early 1st millennium CE will also be on sale at the first auction.

A great collection of artifacts from different Iranian eras, including a Quran from the early Timurid era (15th century), and a large number of bowls, pottery works, glass bottles, hardwood inscription beams, a carved jade talisman, and many other relics will be sold in the Islamic Art and Manuscripts auction, which is to be held on April 26.

Two versions of Khamseh (Quintet) composed by Iranian poet Nezami (1141-1203 CE) and another poetry book also called

Khamseh composed by the Persian-speaking Indian poet Amir Khosro Dehlavi (1253-1325 CE), which were all transcribed in the Safavid era, as well as some Qajar era stationary made of turquoise and a piece of a Seljuk era silk textile will be on sale in this auction.

A painting depicting Qajar era official Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri which has been signed by Mirza Abolhassan Khan Naghashbashi Ghaffari, the royal painter of Nassereddin Shah, and many photos from Iranian holy places will also be on sale in the Islamic Art and Manuscripts auction.

A large number of beautiful Persian carpets and rugs woven in different parts of Iran will be on sale in the Oriental Rugs and Carpets auction on April 28."