Himalayan Works of Art

Is it a good time to sell Himalayan art?
As early and important objects become increasingly rare, the market has strengthened, and items coming to the market from older collections with interesting provenance are especially sought after. We are seeing increasingly keen competition from a new generation of collectors from Asia, the US, Europe and the UK confident about to buying online.

Where does Himalayan art come to sale from? 

Our head of department, Arthur Millner, meets all kinds of people who have Himalayan art they wish to sell, but there are two main strands of collecting history.

“I meet people whose families bought Himalayan art in the Colonial era. And I meet people who travelled through the region in the 1960s and 70s, the days of the great hippy trail. They came home with a deep love of the cultures they had encountered and started to collect to remind themselves of their youthful adventures.”

What is special about Himalayan art?

There are all types of collector. Some people collect because of a specific interest in Buddhism, the theme of so much Himalayan art. Others simply appreciate the unique aesthetic and decorative qualities of art from this part of the world.

“Beautiful, exquisite bronzes, casting at its very best, early paintings that are just stunning, and thang-kas in vibrant pigments mixed with gold…the aesthetic quality of Himalayan art is hard to beat.” Arthur Millner

Meet our expert

Arthur Millner began working in Himalayan art more than 30 years ago at Sotheby’s and has travelled and deepened his knowledge of its various cultures ever since.