An Isphahan rug, Central Persia

Stefano Bardini, sold Christie's London, 5 June 1899, lot 445
George R. Harding, London

New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Loan Exhibition of Early Oriental Rugs, November 1, 1910 - January 15, 1911
Washington, D.C., Corcoran Gallery of Art, Carpets for the Great Shah, October 3 - November 16, 1948
Washington D.C., Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, The World at our Feet.  A Selection of Carpets from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, April 4 - July 6, 2003

Washington, D.C., Corcoran Gallery of Art, Masterpieces: European Arts from the Collection, August 25, 2007 - April 15, 2008

Valentiner, Wilhelm, Catalogue of a Loan Exhibition of Early Oriental Rugs, New York, 1910, no. 42
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Illustrated Handbook of The W. A. Clark Collection, The Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, D.C.: W. F. Roberts Company, 1928, p. 74 
"Carpets for the Great Shah: The Near-Eastern Carpets from the W. A. Clark Collection," The Corcoran Gallery of Art Bulletin, Washington, D.C., Vol. 2, No. 1, October 1948, p. 12
Walker, Daniel, Flowers Underfoot, Indian Carpets of the Mughal Era, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997, fig. 63, p. 70.
Farnham, Thomas J. "Stefano Bardini, Classic Carpets and America,"  Oriental Carpet and Textile Studies, volume VI, Danville, CA: International Conference on Oriental Carpets, 2001, fig. 5, p. 19.
Franses, Michael, "Classical Context," Hali, issue 129, pp. 68-69, fig. 1

Pile generally good, near original closely shorn 1/10 inch in borders. Scattered areas of wear and foldwear low to knotheads and foundation throughout. Dark browns also oxidized to knotheads and foundation. Some dark browns in palmettes repiled with slightly lighter brown, most outlines untouched. Scattered repiling to burgundy, now a lighter rose. Foldwear areas with slits and fraying due to fragility of silk warp. Numerous repaired slits along edges. Smaller repaired slits and holes in field. Upper left corner with a 10 inch repaired slit. A smaller repaired slit in lower left corner. A 4 inch by 3 inch reweave in lower left corner with attendant smaller reaweaves, now faded. Sides with breaks and fraying to selvage. Lower end with small remnants of original ivory, red and indigo striped kilim end finish. Both ends missing guardstripes and fraying. Recommend very careful handling due to fragile, and breaking, silk warps.Please note that a license may be required to export textiles, rugs and carpets of Iranian origin from the United States. Clients should enquire with the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regarding export requirements. Please check with the Carpet department if you are uncertain as to whether a lot is subject to this restriction or if you need assistance.
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.

For a note discussing the compartment-design border of this rug, please see lot 22. For a vine-scroll carpet with an almost identical border and similar field in the Al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, see Friedrich Spuhler, Carpets from Islamic Lands, Kuwait, 2012, pp. 100-101.

Please note that a license may be required to export textiles, rugs and carpets of Iranian origin from the United States. Clients should enquire with the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regarding export requirements. Please check with the Carpet department if you are uncertain as to whether a lot is subject to this restriction or if you need assistance.