Letters: Islamic treasure

Sir: You published a superb photograph (30 September) of a painted and gilded wooden room from Syria, circa 1800, which is coming up for sale at Sotheby's on 11 October.

As a historian of Islamic art, I find it very sad that so few in our profession are willing to speak out against the dismemberment and wholesale shipment of such treasures. Do we not treat Islamic art with much less respect than we would accord to our own?

Dr JANE JAKEMAN

Oxford