LONDON.- Over 300 varied lots from the Near, Middle and Far East were included in specialist Arthur Millner’s online auction of Islamic, Indian, Himalayan and South East Asian Works of Art. The Himalayan bronzes and Indian paintings attracted particular attention from an expanding worldwide online audience, with many lots exceeding their estimates. Another highlight was a self portrait by artist Pestonjee Bomanjee (1851-1938), painted in the classical European style, which sold for £14,400.

One of the many bronze pieces bidders singled out in the early stages of the 3 day auction was a 17th century gilt bronze of Yontan Yeshe Rimpoche, 13 cm high, wearing his ‘thinking face’. This sold for £15,600, against an estimate of £3,000-£5,000. Also an 18th century Tibetan bronze figure of Varahi with an estimate of £6,000 - £8,000, sold for £13,200. A large 18th century Tibetan bronze figure of Mahakala, height 32 cm, sold for £5,760 (estimate £1,200 - £1,500).

Among other disciplines, a charming 18th century drawing of an elephant from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, sold for £4,560 (estimate £1000-£1500) and a pala grey stone fragmentary stele depicting the Buddist deity Maitreya from Eastern Indian, 10th-11th century, estimated £1,500-£2,500 saw a bidding battle achieving £4,320.

The European style self portrait (right) by the Parsi artist Pestonjee Bomanjee (1851-1938), one of the first portraitists to have trained at the Bombay School of Art, and who became a teacher there in 1894, sold for £14,400. (With an estimate of £12,000-15,000).

Finally, the mid 19th century Burmese carved and gilded wood narrative relief, likely to have come from the Palace in Mandalay, and the property of the pianist Philip Fowke sold for a hammer price of £4,320. (Estimate: £4,000-£6,000).

Such was the interest in the sale that the website was temporarily overwhelmed by the traffic, but people resumed their bidding with verve. Arthur Millner comments ‘I am very pleased that our Indian and Islamic sales at 25 Blythe Road continue to grow, with an ever widening circle of buyers from all over the world. Himalayan bronzes and Indian miniature paintings were in great demand as last time, but we also sold an oil portrait by the Parsi artist Pestonjee Bomanjee for £12,000, which was an excellent result.’