The Hindu : Front Page : Tagore, Husain works up for sale

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Monday, Jul 07, 2008
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Tagore, Husain works up for sale

Aims at stimulating interest in Indian film memorabilia

M.F. Husain

New Delhi: Works of Rabindranath Tagore, M.F. Husain and S.H. Raza will go under the hammer on July 15 at the Osian’s art, books and cinema memorabilia auction that is valued at nearly Rs.24 crore.

Besides rare art collections, the fourth ABC series of auctions aims at stimulating interest in Indian film memorabilia as well as promote rare books. A preview of the works was inaugurated here on Saturday night.

The art section also includes works of K.H. Ara, J. Sultan Ali, Ganesh Pyne and Bikash Bhattacharjee.

Rabindranath Tagore

The “Section on Books” includes rare works on modern masters such as Raja Ravi Varma, Nicolas Roerich, the Tagores, Amrita Sher-Gil, Chughtai, Sadequai, George Keyt, Husain and Souza .

Also included are limited edition portfolios on Omar Khayyam painted by Abanindranath Tagore and Asit Kumar Haldar and a book by M.V. Dhurandhar with Khayyam-related sketches.

The “Cinema Section” includes vintage posters of some of the 1930s films such as “Dreamland,” “Hurricane Special,” “Allaudin Aur Jadoo Ka Chirag” and “Golden Gang.”

The R.K. Films banner will be in focus with publicity memorabilia of films such as “Ab Dilli Dur Nahin,” “Awara,” “Shree 420,” “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai” and “Bobby” along with a rare six-sheeted poster of “Sangam.”

The ABC Series Auction has become an important part of the Indian auction calendar as it provides a rare insight into many Indian contemporary art forms.

The film memorabilia market is now ready for a boost as the film fraternity have become collectors. “A year or two from now, just as with the fine arts markets, the vintage Indian popular arts will be chased by the international collectors and museums in full earnest,” said Neville Tuli, chairman of Osian’s Connoisseurs of Arts.

Tagore’s “Face” with pen and ink on paper has a price estimate of Rs.1,600,000- Rs.2,000,000.

Of the various lots of Husain that are up for grabs is a two-set “Fantacy Series” work in pencil, pen and ink on brown paper done in 1941. Other Husain works include “Horses Series,” “Horses” and “Krishna.” — PTI

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