Christie's Autumn 2025 MENA Sales Analysis

This season has been a weird one for MENA art sales. Typically, Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams in London all have exhibitions showcasing their works for the autumn Modern and Contemporary art from the Middle East sales, but this year, Sotheby’s and Bonhams did not take part. Christie’s however, had two sales, one made up of work from the Dalloul Collection, and a separate online sale of modern and contemporary works from the MENA region.

The two Christie’s sales took place one week apart from each other, but perhaps bizarrely, they were exhibited almost within the same space. The Dalloul works were shown in the centre of the same exhibition area as the second online sale, which for those viewing in person like we did, could have caused some confusion. However, this arrangement could perhaps be designed to draw interest to both sales.

The earlier Silsila Dalloul Collection sale took place on 6 November 2025 in a live auction, totalling GBP 4,112,260 with 39 lots. Meanwhile, the second online auction, which ended on 11 November 2025, brought in GBP 1,177,036 through 42 lots. While six lots went unsold in the Dalloul sale, only two lots went unsold in the online sale.

It’s been a good season for women artists, with Samia Halaby and Saloua Raouda Choucair doing well in both sales. if there was an award for the highest selling work between the two auctions this season, Choucair would be the winner, with her Poem (1966-1968) totalling GBP 393,700, with her Dual (1978-1980) going for GBP 63,500 in the online sale a week later. Meanwhile, Samia Halaby’s Gardenia (1978) went for GBP 152,400 in the Dalloul sale, and her Arabic Art from Jerusalem (1995) went for GBP 114,300 in the online sale. Halaby not only had some of the highest selling lots across both sales, but was the highest selling female artist in both sales.

Besides Halaby, two other living artists also made headline sales this November. Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour added to his Halaby’s success in the Dalloul auction with his triptych Untitled (2014) going for GBP 323,850 in the Dalloul sale. Meanwhile, Algerian artist Rachid Koraichi topped the online sale with his embroidered piece Le Chemin de Roses (The Path of Roses) (2000-2001) totalling GBP 127,000.

Two other artists who had lots in both sales are Lebanese artist Huguette Caland, and Syrian artist MARWAN. At the first in-person sale, Caland was amongst one of the highest sales, with her mixed media Vive la liberte (Long Live Freedom) (1998) selling for GBP 330,200. During the next week, her Untitled (1990s), doubled its high estimate to sell for GBP 60,960. In addition to Caland, MARWAN also had sales in both auctions, with his infamous “head” paintings appearing in each. His 2013-2014 Kopf went for GBP 165,100 in the Dalloul sale, while his 1985 Kopf went for GBP 48,260 in the online sale.

Interestingly, Dia al-Azzawi failed to sell in the Dalloul Collection sale, but his Mantiq al-tayr (Conference of the Birds) No. 1 (2008) went for GBP 24,130 in the online sale.

With a comparatively quiet sales season compared to previous years, we’re interested to see what figures the 2026 sales bring in. More importantly, we’re wondering how Sotheby’s will present its next MENA auctions.