Bonhams Sets World Records at Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art Auction with £3.2 Million Sale

On November 25, 2025, Bonhams hosted its Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art auction at New Bond Street in London, achieving a remarkable total of £3,249,204 through fierce global bidding. The auction highlighted the works of Syrian modernists, who set new market standards. Notably, four pieces by Marwan Kassab-Bachi from Timothy Egert's private collection far surpassed their estimates. Gesicht II fetched £57,550, a staggering nine times its low estimate, marking a world record for the artist's paper works. Kopf (Head) sold for £70,250 against an estimate of £15,000–25,000, while Kopf (No. 117) and Kopf (No. 102) reached £44,800 and £25,600, respectively. The event underscored Bonhams' commitment to showcasing the artistic diversity of the region, featuring Iraqi artist Mohammed Sami, born in 1984, and the late Syrian artist Naim Ismail, who was active from 1930 to 1979.