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 avant-garde emerging as India's first Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-licensed auction house, helming the trade of rare Indian coins.

Foraying 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 more.

Some of the exotic items up for bidding are the face-off between Krishna and Rukma, A ‘sati' scene, silver paan daan, Sita in Ravana's palace garden, two Jain illuminated folios, the interiors of the Taj Mahal, bronze sculptures of Druga and Vishnu, a five-piece silver tea set and more.

A Durbar scene with an expansive bird's eye view of a kingdom, Awadh, late 18th - early 19th Century

Floor bidding opens today
Young collector Supriya Lahoti is set to bid telephonically as the floor opens today at Rendezvous, Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba. "With a display of over 160 lots, I'm particularly curious to know the top bid for the Mughal era painting named ‘Ladies on a palace terrace celebrate Diwali' which is valued between 15 to 25 lakh," Lahoti tells Midday.

The 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 Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC.

Opaque 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 page

The next item that piques the bidder's interest is the 11th-century 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. "A masterpiece of this calibre may invite an obscene sum. We're 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 auction.

Chetan Shah (name anonymised at request), a Mumbai-based 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 bird's back along with four more openings on the base meant to keep ‘trinkets' , informs Keshav.

A silver ‘mukhwas' container, Oomersi Mawji, Bhuj, Kutch, circa 1880

Shah is also drawn to the three oval miniature portraits of courtly ladies and musicians which are priced in the range of 2.5 - 3.5 lakh. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Mughal miniature portraits were common, especially the ones depicting Mughal Emperor's profiles and their consorts like Jodha and Akbar, informs Malcolm.

It was a Darbar scene that caught this writer's attention. Within a vast palace complex, above a pool of crystal-clear 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 bird's eye of the entire kingdom. The range of this painting is estimated between 8-12 lakh.

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The art of collecting
Speaking about her experience with collectibles, she shares that while bidding, there are items you truly desire and others you bid on hoping for luck. "For the ones you're deeply interested in, there's a sense of anxiety about whether you'll surpass your preset limit or secure it within your budget -- which makes the session incredibly suspenseful and intense."

Lahoti recalls that she has been bidding at the Todywalla Auctions since their first edition. "My first collection was actually from Toddywalla's. 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 it."

Working 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 artworks.

On the other hand, for an extensive period, Shah and his wife have journeyed across the globe, encountering relics reminiscent of those found in India. They've 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 Asia.

Shah 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 Todywalla's collection of Indian statues and sculptures.

A Pala black stone relief depicting Durga, Bihar, circa 9th / 10th century

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Authenticating relics
Malcolm shares that while curating artworks for the auction, his team keeps in mind three factors:
A. it has to be genuine
B. it has to be of standard quality
C. it must be in good condition

To 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 relics.

"Once 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 (ASI)."

This process is time-consuming and requires significant effort as the team meticulously researches each object based on its authenticity, quality, condition and other relevant factors, adds Malcolm.

Lahoti concludes by sharing why auctions are an ideal starting point for collectors:
1. There's transparency, as auction prices are public and open to all bidders, reducing the risk of being misled.
2. Unlike buying from a dealer, where the price estimate could be subjective, auction prices are determined by multiple bidders, providing a more reliable valuation.
3. Additionally, auction houses conduct due diligence, offering further assurance, particularly beneficial for inexperienced buyers like myself.

Three oval Mughal miniature portraits of a courtly lady and musicians, Delhi, c. 1780