Cataloguer / Junior Specialist, Art of The Islamic

Cataloguer / Junior Specialist, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds and Oriental Rugs and Carpets

**The Role**
The Cataloguer / Junior Specialist position for **Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds and Oriental Rugs and Carpets **assists the department with research, cataloguing, expertise, valuations and proposals.

**Essential Job Functions **(Duties include but are not limited to the following)**:

- Research property for auction related to valuation coordination and pricing, for auction pricing.
- Research property provenance to ensure Christie’s compliance with International guidelines.
- Research and coordinate auction proposals.
- Research bibliography and exhibition history using libraries, on-line databases, the internet, and outside experts (such as curators, scholars, etc.).
- Complete condition reports pre-sale.
- Ensure inventory and stock are correctly located and logged.
- Proof and complete all research for cataloguing using auction standards and review with Head of Sale.
- Prepare property for hilling sessions (department meetings to determine value, condition and marketability of property) and update cataloguing accordingly after such sessions.
- Price works for sale, attending pricing, condition reporting, and hilling sessions.
- Flag any authenticity concerns and condition issues in timely manner to a Head of Sale.
- Maintain running list of researched property for sale with notes about status of condition reports, hilling, colour checking and authentication.
- Coordinate photography between warehouse, studio and department.
- Maintain comparative images in media library (monitor progress; liaise with registrar on missing images, deadline constraints); coordinate copyright permission.
- Assist Head of Sale with preview preparations, set up and assist clients in galleries during preview weekends and sale weeks.
- Business-getting, in particular for “core value” lots, encompassing all of the following; researching the works, providing background on the client, the condition and provenance of the work to the Head of Sale, co-ordinating pricing, discussing terms of sale with Business Director, writing proposal documents, liaising with Proposals team, and leading client presentations.
- Build client portfolio and generation of short and long term pipeline business.
- Attend client engagement events and acting as a brand ambassador for Christie’s.
- Execute appraisals - liaising with Estates, Appraisals & Valuations and other specialists.
- Work with and build relationships with the wider Asian and World Art cluster and Christie’s representatives in other locations.
- Write and prepare essays as and when needed.
- Coordination of auction appraisals - liaison between Estates & Appraisals and department
- Coordination of auction pricing - pulling auction comparable objects for specialists
- Other duties as assigned by Manager.
- Bachelor’s degree in fine art, or equivalent work experience, preferably with a focus on Islamic and/or Indian Art or carpets or equivalent work experience. Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum 12 months paid experience in the Arts.
- Fluency in English and either Arabic, Persian or Turkish; further languages viewed as an advantage.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including superior written and spoken communication.
- Superior client service skills.
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and proven ability to work to deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task and prioritize.
- Strong follow-up skills with attention to detail.
- Must be a strong team player with proven ability to work in an international team.
- Knowledge of Christie’s systems including Siebel and JDE preferred.
Close Date: 20th March