Alice Bailey

Head of Islamic and Indian arts at Rosebery’s Fine Art Auctioneers, London

19th Century Mughal Jewelry

Antique Indian jewelry can be a bargain compared to European gems. This sarpech, a turban ornament that once belonged to the Maharaja of Patiala, sports 133 diamonds, 15 Burmese rubies and a natural pearl

for just $100,000.

Timurid, Safavid and Ottoman Texts

Written material from these

West and Central Asian empires—especially illustrated Qur’ans and botanical and

medical texts—will only appreciate. A 19th-century manuscript made for the Nawab (the ruler) of Sachin in British India recently sold

for nearly $300,000.

Ottoman Pottery

Production of these brightly

hued items peaked 400 years ago, but demand for Turkish ceramics from the cities of Iznik and Kütahya is as high as ever: This Iznik dish, circa 1590, recently

sold for $6,000.