Biography
Frankie Keyworth is a Specialist in Islamic & Indian Art and Rugs & Carpets in London. She began her career in the field at Christie’s as a Cataloguer in 2019, before joining Sotheby’s as an Associate Specialist in 2022. She has developed expertise researching and cataloguing the diverse classical arts presented in the biannual Arts of the Islamic World & India sales, ranging from the earliest manuscripts of the Qur’an to important medieval metalwork and glass, and exquisite miniature paintings. Having applied this background to the field of Rugs & Carpets, she holds a clear understanding and appreciation of the importance of rugs, carpets and textiles within their wider context as Islamic works of art.
In her current position, she plays a crucial role in sourcing, researching, and valuing works offered in the biannual Arts of the Islamic World & India sales, where she has contributed to record-breaking results including a folio from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp, sold for £8.1m in 2022, a record for any Islamic work on paper, an exceptional Umayyad sculpture of a bronze buck which sold for £4.2m in 2024, and a rare silk Kirman double-niche rug that sold for £1m in 2024. She has also been involved in distinguished single-owner sales in the field, including the Edith and Stuart Cary Welch Collection (2023), The Vision of Aso O. Tavitian (2025), and Splendour: The Philippe Missillier Collection of Islamic & Indian Arms & Armour (2025).
Frankie graduated from University College London (UCL) with a BA in French and Arabic and studied Arabic at the An-Najah National University, Nablus, and with the Anglo-Omani Society in Oman. She then completed an MA in History of the Art and Architecture of the Islamic Middle East with a particular focus on Islamic manuscripts, graduating with distinction from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
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