TEHRAN -- More than 49 historical and artistic objects have been brought back to Iran from European markets, including Paris and London, as part of an initiative by Ravi Auction House to renew interest in the country’s historical decorative arts and strengthen its collecting culture.
Amir Bahman Amirian, director of Ravi Auction House, announced the acquisitions ahead of the second edition of the auction this month. 
He described Iranian decorative arts as an essential part of the country’s cultural memory and historical identity, saying their presentation in the art market could help raise their profile and encourage their preservation.
The collection includes objects associated with Iran’s Qajar-period artistic heritage, a significant chapter in the country’s history of painting, ornament and decorative craftsmanship.
Amirian said the auction aims not only to introduce and preserve this artistic heritage but also to improve the presentation and marketing of historical Iranian decorative arts, encouraging artists and collectors to take a greater interest in acquiring and safeguarding these works.
He emphasized the importance of reconstructing their histories through documentary evidence, arguing that collecting should be understood as more than the accumulation of individual works.
He described collecting as a form of museum practice, with an important role in preserving cultural and artistic heritage and transmitting it to future generations.
The objects selected for the second Ravi auction have undergone research, expert assessment and documentation, according to Amirian. Each work, he said, has followed a specific process of study, allowing the auction house to develop new historical narratives around the collection.
Selection criteria have included artistic quality, historical significance and the position of individual objects within the art market, bringing together different categories of Iranian decorative arts.
The acquisition of historical Iranian objects from international markets has been a central part of the auction house’s stated objectives.
Amirian said the second edition will include more than 49 works purchased from European markets, particularly in Paris and London, and brought back to Iran.
He described the effort as part of Ravi’s longer-term commitment to identifying Iranian historical objects abroad and returning them to the country.
The initiative also highlights the role of private collecting and the international art market in shaping access to historical objects. For collectors and specialists, documentation, provenance research and the preservation of historical context are essential to understanding the significance of individual works.
Amirian described collectors as important contributors to the history of art, arguing that their decisions to acquire, organize and preserve objects help shape how artistic heritage is understood and transmitted.
Ravi Auction House aims to develop this culture through regular auctions dedicated to Iranian art, including a specialist department focused on historical decorative arts and antiquities.
By expanding the range of objects presented to collectors, the auction house hopes to encourage greater interest in Iranian artistic traditions and the preservation of historically significant works.
Established in autumn 2017, Ravi Auction House began with a series of exhibitions and presentations covering different artistic fields. Its activities have since expanded to include Islamic art, modern and contemporary art, textiles and carpets, antiques and collectible jewelry.