A 12th century key to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the
holiest site in Islam, sold for 9.2 million pounds ($NZ22.5
million), setting a new record for an Islamic work of art at
auction.
The Abbasid period key, made of iron and measuring 37cm long, sold
at Sotheby's in London for more than 18 times its pre-sale estimate
and was bought anonymously. It is the only known example to remain
in private hands.
The key, one of the ultimate symbols of religious power, is
engraved with the words: "This is what was made for the Holy House
of God during the time of our lord the Imam son of Imam al-Muqtadi
Abu Ja'far al-Mustansir Abu'l-Abbas 573."
It was the highlight of the auctioneer's Islamic sale, which
realised 21.5 million pounds ($NZ53 million), in excess of the
pre-sale high estimate of 13.1 million pounds ($NZ32.3 million) and
a new record for an Islamic art auction.
"Remarkably, the sale realised more than the Islamic department's
annual total in 2007, demonstrating beyond doubt the burgeoning and
international demand for Islamic Art," said Edward Gibbs, head of
Sotheby's Islamic art department.
The previous record for a work of Islamic art sold at auction is
believed to be a bronze fountainhead in the form of a hind dating
from mid-10th century Spain. It sold at Christie's in 1997 for 3.6
million pounds ($NZ8.9 million).
On Tuesday, Christie's held its own London Islamic sale which
fetched 11.8 million pounds ($NZ29.1 million), including a leaf
from a mid-seventh century copy of the Koran sold for 2.5 million
pounds ($NZ6.1 million) versus a pre-sale estimate of 100-150,000
pounds.
It was a new world auction record for an Islamic manuscript, the
company said.
In addition to the example sold at Sotheby's this week, there are
58 recorded Kaaba keys, all of which are held in museums.
Most, 54, are in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, two are in
the Nuhad Es-Said Collection, one is in the Louvre in Paris and one
is in the Islamic Art Museum in Cairo.
Sotheby's called the Kaaba key "arguably one of the most important
symbols of Islam".
According to the auctioneer, the tradition of dedicating the key
to each caliph appears to have originated with the Abbasid caliphs
in Baghdad.
"As a physical object - the key to the holiest building of an
entire religion - it demonstrates the authority of the caliph and
is the ultimate emblem of power," Sotheby's said.
The Kaaba is the ancient cubic shrine which all Muslims face when
they perform their daily prayers, and is located at the centre of
the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
