Roseberys’ Antiquities, Islamic & Indian Arts auction (Friday 2 May) is led by a group of Indian works of art from the collection of the late Francis Golding, architectural consultant, tastemaker, and influential figure in the architecture of contemporary London. The collection is distributed throughout the sale, comprising lots 314-320; 330-355 & 376-382. 

Lot 334 and 338: From the Private Collection of Francis Golding 

Among the collection highlights is a late 16th-century Mughal painting of goatherds, likely produced during the reign of Emperor Akbar, one of the great patrons of the arts (estimated at £2,000–£3,000). Another standout is an 18th-century ink and gouache hunting scene from Kotah, Rajasthan. The works in the collection are mainly drawings and were acquired by Golding with advice from his close friend, the celebrated painter and Indian art collector Sir Howard Hodgkin.

Lot 336: Two goatherds leading two rams across a landscape, Mughal India, late 16th century
Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000

Golding’s Chinese art collection was sold at Christie’s in 2015. This sale represents a lesser know element of Golding's collection, which hung in his North London Georgian house. Carefully assembled over forty years from leading London dealers and auction houses, it reflects Golding’s interest in drawing and the subtleties of preparatory sketches.

Lot 314: A large sketch of a hunt scene, Kotah, Rajasthan, 18th century 

Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500

Francis Golding was born in Macclesfield in 1944 and later moved to London, where he began his career at the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works in 1967. He went on to serve as Head of Properties at English Heritage (1986–1990) and was Secretary of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites until 1994. Widely respected as one of the UK’s leading architectural, planning, and conservation consultants, Golding helped shape the contemporary London skyline.

His clients included Richard Rogers, with whom he worked on the Leadenhall Building, better known as the Cheese Grater. He also advised Rafael Viñoly on 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed the Walkie-Talkie, where the public sky terrace was named the Francis Golding Terrace in his honour. He worked with Norman Foster as well, contributing to the development of the Gherkin. In 2017, the Museum of London acquired more than 150 pieces from Golding’s personal wardrobe.

“Francis Golding was a true tastemaker,” said Alice Bailey, Director and Head of Antiquities, Islamic & Indian Arts at Roseberys. “He had the foresight to see beyond trends and appreciate the timeless. His meticulous eye and sense of style are evident in this beautiful collection.”

Lots 303, 305 & 311: The Private Collection of Toby Falk

The auction will also feature works from the collection of the late Toby Falk, a respected scholar of Indian painting. It includes works from Mughal, Pahari, Deccani, and Company School traditions, along with lesser-known Rajasthani centres.

Lot 309: A detached album folio : seated portrait of Sultan ‘Ali Adil Shah II, Bijapur, Deccan, India
Estimate: £7,000 - £10,000

Among the Falk highlights is a Deccan portrait of Sultan ‘Ali Adil Shah II, dating to the 18th century and estimated at £7,000–£10,000. The painting is attributed to the Bombay-based artist Abdul Hamid Naqqash, one of the finest portraitists of the period. During the Mughal conquest of the Deccan, there was a surge in portraiture, often created for European patrons or export.

Lot 94: A Nishapur calligraphic conical pottery bowl, Central Asia, 9th/10th century

Estimate: £4,000 - £6,000

Also featured in the auction is a selection of early Islamic pottery from Central Asia, produced during the 9th and 10th centuries. A standout is a Nishapur conical pottery bowl from Iran, inscribed in Kufic script with the phrase: “Knowledge and forbearing are both the essence of generosity. A man is an ornament if the twain do meet.” The bowl was examined in 1958 by Arthur Lane (1909-1963) during his tenure as Keeper of Ceramics at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the translation provided by SOAS scholar Prof. D.S. Rice (1913-1962). A wonderful 10th century Qur’an folio will also go under the hammer.