About

Edward Wilkinson is Global Head of Classical Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art at Christie's, London, a position he has held since April 2025. He was co-lead of the team that delivered the landmark record-breaking sale of Exceptional Paintings from the Personal Collection of The Prince & Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection (October 2025), achieving over £45million and 100% sold.

From 2021 through 2025, Wilkinson served as Global Head of Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art at Bonhams, based in London. During this period, he achieved record sales including works from the collections of Claude de Marteau (2022–2023) and the collection of Jules Speelman (2024). From 2016 to 2021 Wilkinson was Executive Director at Bonhams, Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, where he lead the growth of the business and developed standalone sales focused on Himalayan Art.

In 2012 Wilkinson established Bonhams Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art department in New York, developing sales that achieved new records for Indian artists Bagta ($302,000) and Tara ($192,000), Thai sculpture, a Mon-Dvaravati 'Eilenberg' Buddha ($673,000) and a 16th century Tibetan Mandala ($929,000). He is also credited with the rediscovery of two spectacular works by the modern Indian artist V.S. Gaitonde, which sold for $1,685,000 and $1,085,000.

From 2003 Wilkinson ran an independent art advisory and appraisal practice, conducting appraisals on behalf of private individuals and corporations for charitable donation to museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Norton Simon Museum of Art, Pacific Asia Museum of Art, Asian Art Museum–San Francisco, Seattle Art Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rubin Museum of Art, Museum Rietberg Zurich, Royal Ontario Museum, and many more. During this period he also lectured and led workshops for museum and private groups, including 'The Beauty is in the Details: An Aesthetic Appreciation of the Museum's Permanent Collection' at the Norton Simon Museum of Art (April 2007) and 'Building Your Own Collection' at the Pacific Asia Museum (October 2011). He was co-author and curator of From Miniature to Modern, Tradition in Transition: Indian Works on Paper (2010, London and Los Angeles), and a contributing author to Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art from the Collection of Shelley and Donald Rubin (Oglethorpe University Museum, 2010).

Wilkinson was an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers (2007–2015) and Co-Chair of the Southern Asian Art Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2006–2015). He also represented the American photographer Thomas Laird in his ground-breaking body of work documenting the Wall Murals of Tibet, with a permanent installation at the Rubin Museum of Art since 2011 and at the centre of the exhibition Tibet's Secret Temple at the Wellcome Collection, London (2015–2016), ultimately leading to the landmark publication of Murals of Tibet by TASCHEN.

From 2000 through 2003 Wilkinson was Worldwide Head of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art, Sotheby's, New York. During his tenure he coordinated and conducted numerous auctions spanning ancient religious sculpture, painting and decorative arts from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as modern and contemporary Indian painting. Notable sales included a single-owner sale of Contemporary Indian Painting from the Davida and Chester Herwitz Collection, establishing a world record sale total for the category. Two further consecutive world record sale totals were established for traditional Indian paintings from the Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck Collection (March 2003) and the Paul F. Walter Collection (November 2003). The discovery and sale of a Gandharan Buddha from Charterhouse School, England, established a world record price for Gandharan art at $669,000 (September 2002), and the identification and sale of an extremely rare 12th century Dali Kingdom gilt copper alloy figure of Avalokitesvara realised a record $368,750. Wilkinson was also responsible for all related appraisals worldwide, auction, insurance and fair market valuations at Sotheby's. In 1999 Wilkinson worked as a Consultant and Department Specialist of Oceanic Art within the African and Oceanic Art Department at Sotheby's, New York, and also consulted with and catalogued for the English Furniture Department.

From 1996 through 1999 Wilkinson was Executive Head of the Asian and Tribal Art Department at James R. Lawson, Sydney, coordinating monthly sales of Asian art, quarterly sales of Tribal art, and yearly sales of Oriental rugs. He served as Vice President of the Oceanic Art Society, Sydney, and as a committee member of the Oriental Rug Society of NSW, Sydney.