The Holms Hepburn Coronation carpet, Persia, Safavid, 17th century

reduced in size, the central panel with lotus blossoms between foliate vines, the border with cartouches and medallions containing  palmette designs, presentation labels to underside:

'This rug was used at the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on the 9th August 1902. It was laid under the throne on which King Edward VII was crowned.'

'This rug was used to cover the dais in Westminster Abbey upon which the Imperial thrones stood for the coronation ceremony of George V on the 22nd day of June 1911.'

'This rug was also used in Westminster Abbey at the marriage of Her Royal Highness Princess Mary on the 28th February 1922.'

'Coronation carpet presented to Glasgow Cathedral by Captain Charles A. Hepburn R. A. of Hillhead, Glasgow, as a memorial to his beloved wife Anne Campbell who died 26th November 1958.' 

Fernand Schutz, Paris.
Acquired in 1903 from Duveen Brothers.
John Augustus Holms (1866-1938), Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Charles A. Hepburn (1891-1971), Glasgow.
Donated to Glasgow Cathedral, 1971.

A fragmentary carpet, reduced in size. Measurement left side 242cm and on the right also 242cm. Up the centre 250cm, across the bottom 217 and 210cm across the top. Ends bowed. This rug has been coarsely lined and all side cords and edges have been overlocked with later salmon pink wool, top border cut and joined later. Other border sections of later re-piling, plus small patches of repair within sections of original border, which are all showing low pile and small repairs overall. Main border top horizontal border with vertical joins where it meets the side borders, there are areas of re-weaving around the edges of this border section and patches in the centre. The remaining borders have patches in areas along with re-weaves, especially within the lower horizontal border. Pile overall low down to knotheads and browns generally oxidised. Lower edge especially repaired. Inner borders with now ivory coloured ground have areas of loss and distress to outlines of decorative motifs, therefore not defined outlines. Top right corner has area of repair to this border and the condition issues also affect the inner blue border. The main field has a generally low pile madder ground with hand repairs consolidating foundation to stabilise. Oxidisation, to browns especially, overall and small areas of repair scattered across the whole field, with clearly visible vertical lines of re-piling especially on right side of main field extending down through the border to the lower edge. There is some evidence of tinting. There is still pile to motif elements within the main border and to some of the cartouches within main border, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Exemplifying the European taste for carpets of Safavid origin at the turn of the twentieth century, this carpet of distinguished provenance was not only used during the coronations of one, but two English Kings, Edward VII and George V, in 1902 and 1911 respectively.

Comprising a highly complex network of swirling vines with curling, split and serrated sickle leaves which encircle palmettes arranged in a horizontal and angled design, the central panel of the present example, although cut-down and restored, displays the high quality of carpet designs of the Safavid era.The sickle-leaf is a Safavid motif close in style to the Ottoman saz, or curling, feathered leaf design. The origin of the saz is linked to circa 1550, in an album of the period which includes design elements that came to be used on a variety of media including ceramics, textiles, metalwork, book bindings, and carpets, produced by the imperial studio of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror (see Michael Franses, 'The Influences of Safavid Persian Art Upon An Ancient Tribal Culture', in Heinrich Kirchheim et al., Orient Stars, Stuttgart and London, 1993, p.108).

During the reign of Shah 'Abbas (r.1587–1629), the artistry of carpets flourished as royal weaving ateliers were established in his new capital Isfahan. The high-quality carpets produced in these workshops began to be exported to Europe in large quantities, and the demand continued to thrive into the twentieth century as it was the fashion for the most prevalent European families of Europe such as the Rothschilds to own carpets of Persian origin. It is notable that at the 1903 auction of the Estate of Henry Marquand, the top lot was a Persian carpet and half of the top ten lots were carpets. In that year, the sales totals for decorative arts were over double those for paintings, indicating the esteem in which carpets and furnishings were held at the time.

The Duveen brothers, founded by Henry Joseph and Joel Joseph Duveen in the late 1860s, were recorded as the buyers of most of the Safavid carpets appearing on the market. In turn, their influence helped to encourage collectors and drive the market upwards. Sir Joseph Duveen, who presided over the firm between 1909 and 1939, is remembered today as one of the most prominent art dealers of the twentieth century, and a dominant figure in the art market. During the coronation ceremony of Edward VII, three of the carpets exhibited came from the Duveen Brothers, including the present example.

This extraordinary carpet was one of the three Safavid carpets used during the crowning Ceremony of Edward VII at Westminster Abbey in 1902. Out of the other two, one is now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, (Gift of J. Paul Getty, 49.8), and the other was sold by Christie's London, 16 October 1997, lot 100. It is the only one to have been re-used for the coronation of George V in 1911, and the marriage of Princess Mary in 1922. The Safavid design featuring sickle-leaves and palmettes on a red ground is best exemplified by a carpet sold at Sotheby's New York, Important Carpets from the William A. Clark Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, 5 June 2013, lot 12.