Paintings worth $600,000 stolen from Tehran private collection

TEHRAN -- Two calligraphic paintings by Mohammad Ehsaii and six other tableaus worth an estimated over $600,000 were burgled from a private collection in northern Tehran last Friday.

 

Owner Mohammad Mazaheri keeps the collection at his home, the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency reported on Monday.

 

Mazaheri said that the thief or thieves entered from a window when he was not at home.

 

He also said that he had bought Ehsaii’s works for 2.5 billion rials (over $124,000) during a sale in 2008. However, a new estimate is that the artworks are worth over $600,000. 

 

Mazaheri holds the official certificates of authenticity issued for both of the artworks by the sale organizers.   

 

One of the stolen artworks is Ehsaii’s quadtych “Affection”, which is a 180x180 centimeter calligraphic painting of the Persian word “mohabbat” (affection) on canvas.

 

Ehsaii’s other work is “Sama”, which is an 86x86 centimeter gouache depicting the Arabic word of Allah.

 

The Tehran Police is currently investigating the theft. However, they think Mazaheri exaggerated the value of the artworks. 

 

Ehsaii’s works are very popular in regional auctions. His 193x142 centimeter oil calligraphic painting “Allah” sold for 1.2 billion rials (about $60,000) during the first edition of the Tehran Auction in June this year.

 

MMS/YAW

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