What is Mumbai bidding for at this ancient relic auction?

Anticipation mounts as collectors and bidders gear up for the third edition of Todywalla Auctions offering ancient relics and artefacts dating back to as old as 11th century AD Founded in 1964 the House of Todywallas is a numismatic avantgarde emerging as Indiarsquos first Archaeological Survey of India ASIlicensed auction house helming the trade of rare Indian coinsForaying into classical Indian paintings sculptures and silver works the auctioneers have curated a diverse collection spanning the Deccani British and Mughal eras along with chased gilded and engraved relics in Indian silver Additionally they have sourced sculptures in stone metal and wood depicting Vishnu Goddess Durga Buddha and moreSome of the exotic items up for bidding are the faceoff between Krishna and Rukma A lsquosatirsquo scene silver paan daan Sita in Ravanarsquos palace garden two Jain illuminated folios the interiors of the Taj Mahal bronze sculptures of Druga and Vishnu a fivepiece silver tea set and moreA Durbar scene with an expansive birds eye view of a kingdom Awadh late 18th early 19th CenturyFloor bidding opens todayYoung collector Supriya Lahoti is set to bid telephonically as the floor opens today at Rendezvous Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba ldquoWith a display of over 160 lots Im particularly curious to know the top bid for the Mughal era painting named lsquoLadies on a palace terrace celebrate Diwalirsquo which is valued between 15 to 25 lakhrdquo Lahoti tells MiddayThe imperial artwork is a noteworthy highlight showcasing Diwali being celebrated by a woman and her attendants against the backdrop of fireworks informs Malcolm Todywalla a pioneer in the field of Indian Numismatics It is attributed to the Mughal painter Muhammad Afzal about whom little is known to date Adding to the excitement a counterpart of this painting resides in the Freer Gallery of Art at The Smithsonians National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DCOpaque watercolours with gilding on wasli surrounded by a border of gold rules within which are meandering flowers in gold on a buff background mounted on a gold flecked album pageThe next item that piques the bidderrsquos interest is the 11thcentury stone sculpture of Pala Vishnu Stele which exists in immaculate condition beholding conch shells and discs in his lower hands mace and lotus flowers in his upper hands ldquoA masterpiece of this calibre may invite an obscene sum Were starting the bidding at 30 lakh but with the right bidder it could soar well beyond that possibly reaching the million mark opines Anil Keshav who has curated artworks for the upcoming auctionChetan Shah name anonymised at request a Mumbaibased collector is eyeing the silver work of mukhwas container crafted by Oomersi Mawji from Bhuj in Kutch circa 1880 Designed like a quail with wings stretched out the exotic piece contains openings on the birds back along with four more openings on the base meant to keep lsquotrinketsrsquo informs KeshavA silver lsquomukhwasrsquo container Oomersi Mawji Bhuj Kutch circa 1880Shah is also drawn to the three oval miniature portraits of courtly ladies and musicians which are priced in the range of 25 35 lakh In the 18th and 19th centuries Mughal miniature portraits were common especially the ones depicting Mughal Emperors profiles and their consorts like Jodha and Akbar informs MalcolmIt was a Darbar scene that caught this writerrsquos attention Within a vast palace complex above a pool of crystalclear water 3 noblemen sit for a discussion They are accompanied by two retainers with one waving a ceremonial morchal all dressed in pure white cotton What makes it special is the birdrsquos eye of the entire kingdom The range of this painting is estimated between 812 lakhAlso Read AI skills are a must for better career opportunities heres whyThe art of collectingSpeaking about her experience with collectibles she shares that while bidding there are items you truly desire and others you bid on hoping for luck ldquoFor the ones youre deeply interested in theres a sense of anxiety about whether youll surpass your preset limit or secure it within your budget which makes the session incredibly suspenseful and intenserdquoLahoti recalls that she has been bidding at the Todywalla Auctions since their first edition ldquoMy first collection was actually from Toddywallas It was a painting a Dhanvantri from their inaugural auction I found something very appealing about that particular painting and I was determined to acquire itrdquoWorking as a consultant with the Indian Ministry of Culture she has been collecting relics for the past four years Growing up in a family deeply rooted in Indian arts Lahoti has been surrounded by art from a very young age Her parents are the founders of the Kalakriti Art Gallery in Hyderabad and have their own collection of relics paintings and ancient Indian artworksOn the other hand for an extensive period Shah and his wife have journeyed across the globe encountering relics reminiscent of those found in India Theyve observed that each country possesses its unique heritage culture and antique treasures Their interest extends beyond Indian antiquities as they also avidly collect artefacts from other regions including Southeast AsiaShah adds that while visiting Southeast Asia one learns that Buddhism holds significant cultural prominence Consequently the region boasts a plethora of stone and bronze sculptures akin to those found in Todywallas collection of Indian statues and sculpturesA Pala black stone relief depicting Durga Bihar circa 9th 10th centuryAlso Read Books games and costumes Why this book club in BKC is a hotspot for Mumbairsquos executives and GenZAuthenticating relicsMalcolm shares that while curating artworks for the auction his team keeps in mind three factorsA it has to be genuineB it has to be of standard qualityC it must be in good conditionTo ensure authenticity Malcolm and his team have assembled a panel of experts each with specialised knowledge in various areas such as coins paintings and calligraphy These experts include academics collectors and material researchers all of whom possess extensive experience spanning several decades in the study of Indian antiques and relicsldquoOnce the authenticity of an object is established we begin our research and collate information for the same This involves photographing the item compiling a catalogue seeking details of the makers and then returning it to the dealer Before finalising the catalogue we analyse the items as per standards set by the Archaeological Survey of India ASIrdquoThis process is timeconsuming and requires significant effort as the team meticulously researches each object based on its authenticity quality condition and other relevant factors adds MalcolmLahoti concludes by sharing why auctions are an ideal starting point for collectors1 Theres transparency as auction prices are public and open to all bidders reducing the risk of being misled2 Unlike buying from a dealer where the price estimate could be subjective auction prices are determined by multiple bidders providing a more reliable valuation3 Additionally auction houses conduct due diligence offering further assurance particularly beneficial for inexperienced buyers like myselfThree oval Mughal miniature portraits of a courtly lady and musicians Delhi c 1780