The work of Mahmoud Said "Circling the dervishes, was sold for 2.5 million dollars and became the most expensive to date, the product of Middle Eastern Art

Auction house Christie's auction held on October 26 contemporary Middle Eastern art and earned a 14.043 million dollars. This rate is more than double the total estimate of all lots (6.7 million dollars). With the hammer took 84%of all lots (94%in cash terms). Among the bidders were represented 60%of buyers from the Middle East, 28%- from the European region, 10%from the U.S. and 2%from Asia.

This was a record year for Christie's in category of art in the Middle East: the total revenue increased 117%over the previous year (from 13 to 29 million dollars).

Jussi Pilkkanen, president of the Middle East and European offices of Christie's: «These results have been achieved largely due to the fact that the auction room was packed - the rates for telephone and internet customers from all over the world took 20 specialists auction house. The sales results exceeded our expectations at 7.3 million dollars, the most active part in the auction took more than 200 registered customers from 23 countries. 100%was sold an outstanding collection of Dr. Mohammed Said Farsi, consisting of 30 works ».

The collection of Egyptian art from the collection of Dr. Mohammed Said Farsi, has become the pearl of the auction for her rescued 6731750 dollars.

Top-lot auction was the work of Mahmoud Said "Circling Dervishes" (1929); Estimé 300-400 thousand, it was sold for 2,546,500 dollars. This result not only of 100 thousand dollars exceeded the previous record of the artist (his work "shadoof" was sold at Christie's Dubai auction in April 2010 for 2,4 million dollars), but also made the "Whirling Dervishes" the most expensive to date, the product of the Middle East painting.

remaining 40 works from the collection of Dr. Mohammed Said Farsi will be put up for sale in the Paris auction, which will be held November 9, 2010.

top lot in a section of Iranian art has become a large-scale triptych Mohammed Ehsaya "Banquet" (2009), sold for 662.5 thousand dollars Estimé 350-500 thousand. Painting "Temptation" brush Afshin Pirashemi, illustrating the complexity of life in contemporary Iran, went under the hammer for 518.5 thousand dollars (estimate 80-120 thousand dollars). Rare work of Farhad Moshiri, entitled "Love" was bought for 422.5 thousand dollars, almost three-fold excess of the lower estimate.

today a series of Christie's Dubai auction completes Auction Jewelry and Watches " which will begin at 20.00 Moscow time.

Source: press release Christie's