Beatrice Campi, director of Azca Auctions.
The firm is led by Indian and Islamic art specialist Beatrice Campi and watches and jewellery valuer Tomas Jose Aznar Gonzalez who both previously worked at Chiswick Auctions.
Campi, who spent four years at Christie’s and six years at Chiswick, says the firm will focus on a handful of specialist areas, beginning with Indian and Islamic art, watches, jewellery and associated luxury items, wine and a sale dedicated to Japanese works of art.
The inaugural sale on June 20 titled Arts of India and the Islamic Lands includes 105 lots from a north London private collection formed over three generations, plus an early 19th century album with enthroned portraits of Mughal rulers and elite members of the court that comes from a European collector with a guide of £8000-12,000.
Tomas Jose Aznar Gonzalez, director of Azca Auctions.
The sale (which will be held twice annually around the time of equivalent events in other London salerooms) takes place in the Metro building in Hammersmith prior to Azca’s move to a permanent premises at 188 Hammersmith Road, London W6. The building comprises 600 sq m of space and will function as both a storeroom and saleroom.
Among the sales in the pipeline is a collection of Japanese works of art from the Museo d’Arte Orientale that opened in a 17th century palazzo in Turin in 2008. It will be catalogued for sale by Marta Somauroo, who previously worked at Woolley & Wallis and Chiswick Auctions.
A 17th or 18th century gold and silver inlaid steel ewer (koftgari) from northern India, estimate £800-1200 at Azca.
