World Record Islamic Auction Cancelled
THE DAILY STAR: Sotheby's calls of[f] scheduled sale of key after doubts are raised about its authenticity

LONDON: The 2008 sale of a key thought to have been made in the 12th century for the holy Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which set an auction record for an Islamic work of art, has been cancelled, Sotheby's said.

Shortly after the sale last April at Sotheby's in London, when the key sold for 9.2 million pounds ($13.49 million) - over 18 times its pre-sale estimate - experts raised questions about its authenticity, prompting the auctioneer to annul the result.

"In light of the divergence of academic views," Sotheby's said in a statement, "Sotheby's and the consignor decided to cancel the sale in May 2008, pending further research and scientific analysis.

"The key is a fascinating object and interested parties are still captivated by this rare and intriguing piece. Consequently there continues to be interest in a sale, notwithstanding the divergence of both academic views and scientific analysis, which remain inconclusive." >>> Mike Collett-White, Reuters | Saturday, April 04, 2009

Key to the Ka’aba Breaks All Records in Sotheby's Sale
Key to the Ka’aba fetches record price at auction. Photo courtesy of the BBC
BBC: A 12th Century key to Islam's holiest shrine has sold at auction in London for £9.2m ($18.1m).

The key to the Kaaba - the ancient cube-shaped shrine in Mecca - went to an anonymous bidder at Sotheby's.

The auction house said the price set a record for the sale of an Islamic work of art.

Made of iron and measuring 37cm (15in) in length, the key is engraved with the words "This was made for the Holy House of God".

The key was the centrepiece of Sotheby's Islamic art sale, which realised more than £21.5m ($40m) in total.

'Important symbol'

Head of Sotheby's Islamic art department Edward Gibbs said: "Remarkably, the sale realised more than the Islamic department's annual total for 2007, demonstrating beyond doubt the burgeoning and international demand for Islamic art."

The key is the only known example to be in private hands. All of the other 58 Kaaba keys are in museums.

Sotheby's said the key was "arguably one of the most important symbols of Islam".

The auction house said the keys were dedicated to caliphs, starting with the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad.

"As a physical object, the key to the holiest building of an entire religion, it demonstrates the authority of the caliph and is the ultimate emblem of power," said Sotheby's. [Source: BBC: Holy Islamic Key Sets Sale Record]

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