Job Title: Head of Islamic and Indian Art
Responsible for: None
Purpose of job: To contribute towards the consigning, valuating and cataloguing of Islamic and Indian Art in line with the department and business year-on-year growth objectives
Main contacts:
Internal: Managing and Executive Directors, other specialist departments (especially Interiors, Homes and Antiques), client liaison and other business functions especially marketing and photography
External: private clients, collectors, dealers, other auction houses
Contract type: Permanent
Hours:Full-time
Location: Based at Chiswick HQ (Barley Mow)
Opportunity:
Our Islamic and Indian Art department is one of the busiest and most successful departments in the house. The team curate three sales per year, two big sales and one smaller sale, as well as a themed sale called ‘A Middle Eastern Journey.’ The department has also held a number of successful single owner sales.
The department features a varied selection of artworks dating from the 7th century to the first half of the 20th century and covering a broad geographic area from the Mediterranean shores through to Southeast Asia and China. The sales offer works on paper such as manuscripts, paintings and drawings, as well as works of conventional craftsmanship such as ceramics, textiles, arms and armour, glass, jewellery, metalwork and lacquer items.
The team consists of two: the Head of Department (this role), and a Department Coordinator. The Head of Department plays a pivotal role in business getting, and the cataloguing and valuing of Islamic and Indian Art.
Context
Chiswick Auctions is a privately owned, well-established London auction house which is fast becoming a major player in the international art market. With 20 specialist departments, regular dedicated and themed sales are held across a breadth of specialisms. In addition, monthly Interiors, Homes and Antiques sales contribute to a busy calendar of 80 auctions per year.
The main headquarters is based on Chiswick High Road, and the auction house employs around 60 staff.
Areas of Responsibility
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
Strategic and business development
- Maintain an overview of market trends for the Islamic and Indian Art market at all levels, and the implications for the business
- Identify and maintain relationships with all client categories (private collectors, dealers, other auction houses)
- Identify and grow the client base for sourcing and selling of Islamic and Indian Art
Consignments, valuations, cataloguing, pre and post-sale responsibilities
- Lead on the consignment of Islamic and Indian Art
- Respond to incoming walk-ins, written, phone and email enquiries to determine sale potential, along with other members of the department
- Work to determine provenance, authenticity, value, condition, and marketability
- Catalogue consignments and work on the production and layout of the online catalogue
- Liaise with the assigned photographer on the photography of Islamic and Indian Art for marketing, press and the online catalogue
- Work with the Art Handlers on pre-sale exhibition set-up
- Work with potential buyers to provide condition reports, and attend weekend previews, to market and sell the sale
- With the marketing team, take the lead on developing a coordinated marketing plan to achieve budgeted sale totals
- Participate in telephone bidding with clients during the auction, as required
- Participate in the full after-sales analysis, and implement any agreed changes
General
- Ensure compliance with all internal policies and procedures and any relevant external bodies or processes
- Participate in organisation-wide meetings, activities and processes, and develop internal contacts, networks and interactions as appropriate
- Actively participate in events, valuation days, and other functions to represent Chiswick Auctions e.g evening events to promote the sale
- Carry out other duties as required by the Managing and Executive Directors
Person Specification
Qualifications, skills and experience
- A qualification relevant to the field
- Proven knowledge of Islamic and Indian Art gained both through study and work experience
- Experience in the field, preferably at an auction house
- Proven ability to develop relationships with the major collectors, dealers and auction houses
- Excellent writing skills in English, and ability to combine an understanding of the material with a commercial sense of marketing and promoting value
- Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including first class spoken English
- Ability to work to tight auction deadlines, balancing photography, cataloguing, sale organisation, marketing and promotional details
- Experience working on projects of all sizes, long- and short-term; demonstrated ability to prioritise a variety of concurrent projects
- Ability to learn Chiswick Auctions’ systems, with excellent IT proficiency and sound knowledge of the Microsoft 365 Suite
- Superior customer service skills
- Strong follow-up skills with attention to detail
- Ability to thrive within a fast-paced team environment
Desirable knowledge, skills and experience
- Some fluency in a relevant foreign language, for example Persian or Arabic
Please send your CV & Cover letter to nick.greenwood@chiswickauctions.co.uk