A Ninghsia Silk Carpet, West China,

The Textile Gallery, London

Private Collection, Switzerland, 1987

Caylus, Madrid, 1989

Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection

 

 

Thompson, Jon, Silk Carpets and the Silk Road, Osaka, 1988

Glanz der Himmelssohne, Kaiserliche Teppiche aus China 1400-1750, Cologne

Franses, Michael & Bennett, Ian, The Textile Gallery, Brochure No.2, London, 1986, no.XIII

Hali 33, 1987, p.91

Thompson, Jon, Silk Carpets and the Silk Road, Osaka, 1988, fig.44, p.47

Franses, Michael, 'Fengruan rutan: Silk pile covers from Western China', 4th Hali Annual, London, 1997, fig.10

Spuhler. Friedrich, Carpets and Textiles, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, London, 1998, Cat.No.65, pp.234-235

Glanz der Himmelssohne, Kaiserliche Teppiche aus China 1400-1750, Cologne, exh.cat., Cat. No.20, p.88

Glossy silk, with rich colour; pile overall very good, approximately 4mm in length, with oxidisation in field in some flowers and in tessellated innermost guard to the rich reddish walnut; some oxidisation in light walnut in right hand border; slight area of localised wear to one area of right hand border near inner guard; side cords with some loose threads; lower end with original flatwoven end finish and partial original knotted fringe, now turned under and taped over on reverse (upper end not accessible at time of writing report as carpet is hanging). Overall in outstanding condition, particularly in view of age: a spectacular piece. Knot count: 3/cm vertical; 6/cm horizontal
"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."

This magnificent carpet displays a classical Ninghsia design of peonies and leafy vine scrolls derived from those seen on Ming dynasty ceramics and carpets such as the wool piled fragment in the Museum für Kunsthandwerk, Frankfurt, see Michael Franses, "Early Ninghsia Carpets," Hali, vol.5, no.2, figs. 2 and 6, pg. 136. Here, the peonies are slightly stylized and are arranged by color along diagonal rows across the field. This subtle pattern is complemented by the gracefully scrolling light brown vines and the broad slanting yellow leaves, rendering spatial harmony and balance to the composition. Besides the peonies and the leafy vine scrolls, the angular designs in the guard borders and the brown outer guard stripes are characteristics shared with early Ninghsia carpets that were adopted by weavers of later pieces. As with most early Chinese carpets, it is very hard, if not impossible, to precisely date the present lot. Interestingly, unlike in the case of Persian and Turkish carpets in the seventeenth century, Chinese weavings were not exported to Europe during the Chinoiserie craze of the eighteenth century and thus they do not appear in European paintings. They were, however, depicted in Chinese ancestral portraits, which thus provide us with some help in dating carpets from the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The structure and the drawing of the lot offered here suggest a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century attribution while the luxurious usage of silk pile, which makes the piece comparable to Persian "Polonaise" and Mughal silk carpets in richness, indicates that this piece was woven for a great connoisseur or member of the aristocracy. The vibrant colors and the effortless yet sophisticated design, coupled with the excellent state of preservation, make this lot an outstanding example of a Ninghsia carpet.