Stephen John “Toby” Falk (1942-1997) was a specialist and independent consultant within the fields of Oriental art and Indian paintings. He played a pivotal role in advancing the study of Indian art, particularly through his engagement with Indian miniature painting. His work at Sotheby’s and later as an independent scholar helped to elevate the field with a rare combination of connoisseurship, scholarship, and passion.

Falk joined Sotheby’s as a porter in 1964, later moving to the book department, to catalogue Oriental manuscripts and miniatures. The 1960s were a rich period, with collections like those of Chester Beatty and Sir Thomas Phillipps being dispersed, and, in particular, that of the Armenian collector Hagop Kevorkian, whose successive sales vastly extended the volume of what was known then about Oriental book art.

After leaving Sotheby’s in 1974, Falk collaborated closely with Mildred Archer on the monumental catalogue of Indian miniatures in the India Office Library. This project resulted in Indian Miniatures in the India Office Library (1981), and later India Revealed (1989), which explored the works commissioned by the Fraser brothers during early British rule. These publications illuminated the richness of Indian painting traditions—from Mughal and Company School to lesser-known regional styles—and significantly influenced their appreciation among both scholars and collectors.

Falk’s deep respect for Indian visual culture also led to Birds in an Indian Garden (1984), co-authored with his wife, where natural history and Indian painting intersected. His scholarship, marked by precision and empathy, brought new life to the art of India and continues to shape its study today.