ISTANBUL.- Antik A.S. the leading Turkish Auction house, announced that the sale of Turkish Paintings Calligraphy and Ottoman Arts in Istanbul achieved triumphant results and made 8 million Turkish Lira / US$ 5.3 million. The top lot of the sale, the masterpiece and catalogue cover lot Nazmi Ziya’s 1910 dated oil on canvas “Shepherd in red” was sold for 1.1 million Turkish Lira / US$ 740,000, (world auction record for the artist) Works by other Turkish masters such as Hikmet Onat, Feyhaman Duran and Naci Kalmukoglu also achieved strong prices.

The auction was highlighted by the sales of Turkish Calligraphy masters. Monumental Illuminated Hilye by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet sold for 542,000 TL / US$ 361.000, (second highest price for a Hilye-i Serif) (World auction record was set by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet’s Hilye-i Serif which was sold for 1,150,000 TL / US$ 810.000 in Antik A.S.’s April sale.)

Mahmud Celaleddin’s “Hilye-i Serif” was one of the rare calligraphy works in the auction which was sold for 353,000 TL / US$ 235.000 (World auction record for the calligrapher) Many other calligraphy works multiplied their starting prices and achieved very strong prices. Compared to the previous sales Turkish Calligraphy market is entering a new phase. There has been a great deal of attention over calligraphy after the Quran exhibition which opened in Turkish Islamic Museum in Istanbul. The exhibition “1400th anniversary of Quran” was sponsored by Yıldız Holding and organized by Antik A.S. has received a great deal of attention and coverage in the media, resulting increase in numbers of new buyers who collects calligraphy and brought excitement to the market.

Turgay Artam, the owner of Antik A.S. commented: “Participation of new collectors and young buyers sends a very positive message to the art market. We are absolutely delighted with the results achieved for Turkish Paintings, Ottoman Art and specially for the Turkish Calligraphy.. The results demonstrate that buyers will respond enthusiastically to a carefully-selected sale of high-quality paintings and calligraphy, which offer provenance, rarity and historical significance to the market. The record price achieved for the cover lot was well deserved. It is a very special painting that brought together many aspects of the most important Turkish impressionist artist, Nazmi Ziya. The rarity of the lots we offered encouraged bidders to vigorous competition throughout the sale and 91% of the sold lots doubled the starting prices.”

Among the highlights of the sale: Hikmet Onat’s oil on canvas dated 1953 “The Bosphorus” sold for 277,000 TL / US$ 185.000 (world auction record for the artist) Another Onat painting is sold for 151,000 TL / US$ 101.000 Naci Kalmukoglu “Stilllife” 505,000 TL / US$ 336.000 . An illuminated Hilye by Hamit Aytaç sold for 202,000 TL / US$ 134.000 (World auction record for the calligrapher) Quran by Esseyid İbrahim Namik sold for 107.000 TL / US$ 71.000 (World auction record for the calligrapher) More world auction records were set for 6 other Quran calligraphers. Further strong prices were also achieved for Ottoman Arts including a tombak candle dated 18th century sold for 109,000 TL / US$ 72.000.





(Prices include buyer’s premium +vat)