A De Lamerie of London presentation, hand painted, ceramic t...

Hammer

£75

A De Lamerie of London presentation, hand painted, ceramic tile set in a black embossed leather tray, inscribed on back of frame "With the Best Wishes of Ahmed Zaki Yamani" in a custom purple velvet covered box, 12 x 12in. (30.5 x 30.5cm.). Provenance: From a collection of gifts to a friend of Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani (1930-2021). * For over two decades as petroleum minister for Saudi Arabia (1962-1986), Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani was arguably one of the most famous and powerful men on earth. He was a minister in OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and is remembered for his role during the 1973 oil crisis when he encouraged OPEC to quadruple the price of crude oil. In December 1975 Yamani was taken hostage in Vienna with the other OPEC ministers by the infamous terrorist Carlos the Jackal. The hostages were flown across North Africa before being released two days later. Carlos spared the life of Yamani and his Iranian counterpart despite having been ordered to execute them. Yamani's negotiation style, according to Henry Kissinger, was to wine and dine other dignitaries until the point of fullness and lethargy, before beginning protracted negotiations.