• Marhala: Highlights of the Dalloul Collection, a single owner sale of 48 masterpieces from across the Arab world, was led by Mahmoud Saïd’s Egyptian modernist masterpiece Fille à l’imprimé (Girl in a printed dress), which realised £567,000 / US$695,709
• 4 world records achieved – two artist records and two for works on paper by the artist
• 25% of buyers were millennials with bidders from 14 countries  
• Truly fresh to market, the first time any works from The Dalloul Collection have been offered at auction

LONDON AND DUBAI – Christie's announce the results of "Marhala: Highlights from the Dalloul Collection", a single owner collection comprising 48 masterpieces, which achieved a total of £3,064,320 / US$3,759,921, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate of £2.3 million / US$2.8 million. This live sale at Christie’s headquarters in London attracted bidders from 14 countries, while 25% of all buyers were millennials, selling 96% by lot and 99% by value.  

The lead lot was Fille à l’imprimé (Girl in a printed dress), Mahmoud Saïd, (1897–1964, Alexandria),  (estimate £350,000-550,000) which realised £567,000 / US$695,709 (illustrated above under the hammer).

There was also competitive bidding on the phones for two works by female artist Samia Halaby (1934, Boujad -1967, Casablanca). Lot 4, Return (no 323) (estimate £70,000-100,000) realised £233,100 / US$286,014 and lot 46 Green and Earth (estimate £40,000-60,000) realised £107,100 / US$131,412. There was also spirited competition for lot 41, Ahmed Cherkaopui, Clare de Lune (Moonlight), (estimate £15,000-20,000) which realised £69,300 / US$85,031.

The sale achieved 4 records:

• Lot 4, artist record, Samia Halaby, Return (no. 323), realised £233,100 / US$286,014
• Lot 5, artist record, Kamal Boullata, Nocturne II, realised £47,880 / US$58,749
• Lot 9, record for a work on paper by the artist, Marwan, Kopf links gedreht (head turned left), realised £56,700 / US$69,571
• Lot 36, record for a work on paper by the artist, Faeq Hassan, The Fishermen, realised £47,880 / US$58,749

Dr Ridha Moumni, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Middle East and North African comments, ‘It has been a great honour for my team and I to bring this collection of Arab masterpieces from the prestigious Dalloul Collection to the market for the first time, at Christie’s in London. The outstanding result achieved reinforces the continued demand and rising interest from clients and collectors from around the world for Arab Modern and Contemporary art works and in particular for works by female artists. Many of the works sold today will be going to locations around the world which will continue to raise awareness of both established and emerging Arab artists. The sale is also a testament to Dr Basel Dalloul and to his late parents whose desire was for Arab art to inform, educate and spark debate as to the past and the present of the Middle East’.   

The success of the sale further highlights the Dalloul Collection as one of the most outstanding privately owned collections of Arab art in the Middle East, and is testament to the ever-evolving and vibrant Arab art market on the international stage. 

Marhala included a focus on diversity in both the modern and contemporary eras, as well as in terms of gender representation.  Works by influential figures who have left a lasting impact on the Lebanese modern and contemporary art scene, featured pieces by Etel Adnan, Helen Khal, Ayman Baalbaki, Paul Guiragossian, Shafic Abboud, and Chaouki Choukini.  Other works in the sale originate from regions such as Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.   

The Dalloul Collection, from which the pieces offered were curated, was formed by the late visionary art collector Dr. Ramzi Dalloul and his wife, Saeda El Husseini over six decades, and advanced by their son, Dr. Basel Dalloul.  It is unparalleled in its breadth and depth and reflects an extraordinary level of collecting and connoisseurship which today is representative of the talent and creativity across the Arab world.

(Illustrated above left) Samia Halaby (B. 1936, Jerusalem), Return (No. 323), (estimate £70,000-100,000) realised £233,100 / US$286,014, achieving three times its low estimate. (Illustrated above centre), Kamal Boullata (1942 Jerusalem – 2019 Berlin) Nocturne II, (estimate £20,000-30,000) realised £47,880 / US$58,749 achieving an artist record. (Illustrated above right), Marwan, (1934, Damascus - 2016, Berlin) Kopf links gedreht (Head turned left), (estimate £18,000-25,000) realised £56,700 / US$69,571 achieving a record for a work on paper by the artist.

(Illustrated above left), Faeq Hassan, (1914, Baghdad-1992, Paris), The Fishermen, achieving a record for a work on paper by the artist, (estimate £18,000-25,000) realised £47,880 / US$58,749.  (Illustrated above centre), Inji Efflatoun (1924, Cairo-1989, Cairo), Banana Tree, (estimate £15,000-20,000) achieved over three times is low estimate, hammering for £56,700 / US$69,571.  (Illustrated above right), Ahmed Cherkaoui (1934, Boujad-1967, Casablanca), Claire de Lune (Moonlight), (estimate £15,000–20,000) realised £69,300 /US$85,031, achieving more than 4 times its low estimate.