An Azerbaijan silk embroidery, South Caucasus/Northwest Persia,

Losses to browns due to oxidation as visible in catalogue. Some restitching - see lighter areas in catalogue. Silk in other colored areas generally intact. Missing on outer edges. Visible remnants of outer dark brown guard stripes on sides and upper edge. Seam 4in. from top edge. Areas of abrash to red embroidery. Mounted on black cloth, stretched. Good overall condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Azerbaijan silk embroideries from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have long been sought after by collectors and appear at auction infrequently with many examples now in museum collections around the world.  It has been suggested that these works exhibit Persian influence, since during the reign of Shah Abbas I (1588-1629) Safavid control was established over Azerbaijan. Like all Azerbaijan embroideries, the present lot has a cotton plainweave base and silk embroidery. A less common characteristic of the piece offered here is the use of black silk thread to outline the design elements as found  more often on embroideries with a light ground. The design elements of the present embroidery are strongly geometric and stylized. These motifs may have their roots in the designs of Caucasian and Armenian floral and dragon carpets as well as Northwest Persian medallion and cartouche carpets, see Zsuzsa Gombos, "Azerbaijan," Hali, Issue 26, p. 26. The strongly stylized nature and the clear geometric quality of the design indicate that this piece dates from the eighteenth century. Embroideries from the 1600s generally have busier fields packed with more organic motifs that retain a stronger connection to Caucasian or Persian dragon carpets according to Jennifer Wearden, "A Synthesis of Contrasts," Hali, Issue 59, p. 105, fig. 5. Because of the many similarities between dragon carpets and embroideries in the seventeenth century, it seems the two art forms coexisted and complemented each other.  Over the years, the design of Azerbaijan embroideries became more angular and by the eighteenth century had turned distinctly geometric, as in the lot offered here.  Similar embroideries of comparable age and design are in the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London and the David Collection, Copenhagen, see Wearden, op. cit. p. 106, 108. Related Azerbaijan embroideries were sold Sotheby's New York, December 5, 1987, lot 118 and December 14, 2006, lot 217.