The 'Jeziorak' 'vase' carpet, Persia, probably Kirman

Poland, church of Jeziorak, by repute
Dr Albert Figdor, Vienna, acquired before 1908
Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection

Sammlung Schloss Rohoncz, Munich, Neue Pinakothek, 1930
International Exhibition of Persian Art, London, Royal Academy of Arts, 7 January – 28 February 1931
Donald King and David Sylvester, The Eastern Carpet in The Western World from the 15^th to the 17^th Century, (exh. cat.), Arts Council of Great Britain and the Hayward Gallery, London, 1983, no. 79, p.100

F. Sarre, Altorientalische Teppiche, Leipzig, 1908, pl.10
O. van Falke, Die Sammlung Dr Albert Figdor, Vienna and Berlin, 1930, vol. I, pl. L, no. 203 
A. Feulner, Stiftung Sammlung Schloss Rohoncz, Teil 3. Plastik und Kunsthandwerk, Lugano-Castagnola, 1941, pl. 86, no. 648
R.L. Heinemann, Sammlung Schloss Rohoncz, Lugano-Castagnola, 1958, K 648
May H. Beattie, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection of Oriental Rugs, Lugano-Castagnola, 1972, pl. 1
E. Gans-Ruedin, Splendeur du tapis persan, Friborg, Switzerland, 1978, p. 131
Donald King and David Sylvester, The Eastern Carpet in The Western World from the 15^th to the 17^th Century, (exh. cat.), Arts Council of Great Britain and the Hayward Gallery, London, 1983, no. 79, p. 100
Toby Falk, ed., Treasures of Islam, Geneva: Museé Rath, London, 1985, p. 329, no. 340
Hali 65, 1992, p. 111
Jutan. Woven Flowers of the Silk Road, Osaka, National Museum of Ethnology, 1994, p. 77, fig. 56
Friedrich Spuhler, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection: Carpets and Textiles, London, 1998, pp. 116-119, pl. 27

Technical Analysis: Warp: cotton, ivory, Z4S Weft: 1st and 3rd shoots wool, brown, grey, blue, light red, green, Z2S, 2nd shoot: silk, ivory, 2Z Pile: wool, 2Z, rarely 3Z, asymmetrical knot, open to the left Density: 6 horizontal, 6 vertical per linear cm. Sides: not complete Ends: not complete Colours: ivory, tan, light brown, pink, deep red, orange, yellow, orange-yellow, light olive, light green, mid-green, mid-blue-green, light turquoise, sky blue, blue, mid-blue Pile generally good near 1/8 inch overall; scattered areas of moth tracks low to foundation/knot heads particularly in lower end of the field. Old rewoven areas now faded as visible in catalogue illustration; largest are approximately 10 x 2 inches vertical in lower border, 14 x 4 inches horizontal in upper left and 8 x 6 inches in upper right of field; other areas are 2 x 1 inches and 4 x 1-1/2 inches and 2 x 1/2 inches in lower border; 4 x 2 inches in lower center area of field; 3 x 2 inches in upper mid right of field; upper end right with 3 x 2 inches; 3 x 1 inches in upper right border; and along upper right edge, 6 x 3 inches, 4 x 1 inch and 3 by 4 inches. A few scattered areas showing warp threads on mid right side of field. All four sides missing outer blue and red guard stripes, approximately 1/4 inch max overall; sides with later reselvaging and ends secured with binding stitch so sides and ends secured. A small, approx. 1 x 1/2 inch nick out of lower right corner edge. All four sides with velcro strips sewn to the reverse for hanging. Dense weave, robust yet flexible handle, unusually good color retention and very good condition for age. EMBARGO ON IMPORTATION OF PERSIAN/IRANIAN WORKS OF ART TO THE USA. Due to recent changes in the U.S. law, carpets and rugs of Iranian/Persian origin can no longer be imported into the U.S. Please check with the sale administrator if you are uncertain as to whether a lot is subject to these or any other restrictions or if you need assistance with such enquiries.
"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 remarkable 'vase' technique carpet was reputedly found in the Jeziorak church in Poland. When first published by Friedrich Sarre in 1908, it was in the possession of Dr. Albert Figdor of Vienna who was also a previous owner of the Safavid silk and metal-thread kilim once in the collection of the Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Dr. Figdor (1843-1927) was one of the most important private collectors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and amassed a highly significant and comprehensive collection of mostly decorative art objects dating from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century. His genuine passion for collecting unique objects drove him to assemble an outstanding anthology of works that reflected his profound knowledge of the arts and his impeccable taste. Dr. Figdor started the collection in 1869 and constantly worked on enlarging it until his death in 1927. In 1891, he intended to donate part of his collection to the newly-founded Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna but no agreement was reached and the bequest was never carried out. The collection remained intact until 1930 when, three years after Dr. Figdor's death, many of the pieces were offered at auction in Vienna and Berlin.

Since the lot offered here was first mentioned by Sarre in his 1908 book entitled Altorientalische Teppiche as the Figdor 'vase' carpet, the piece must have become part of his collection prior to that date.

It was after the doctor's death that this carpet entered the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection thanks to the patronage of Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (1875-1947), head of the German-Hungarian Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva family whose noble lineage dated back hundreds of years. Interestingly, the Jeziorak carpet, similarly to most of the other now world-famous carpets in the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection, was used in the family's private home and was not exhibited in the Villa Favorita in Lugano. This suggests that these carpets in general were particularly dear to the Baron. For further discussion of the development of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection of carpets, please see the footnote to the previous lot.

The lot offered here is a true highlight of the collection and it exemplifies both the excellence of Safavid weavers but also the quality of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. 

The term 'Vase' was first coined to refer to a group of carpets with designs featuring stylised vases, which all share a similar weaving technique. The term has since been used to signify all of those carpets woven in this manner and thus, whether their designs include vases or not, they are known as 'vase' carpets.

The structure of the 'vase'-technique group is very unusual in having three passes of wefts after each row of knots and having multi-coloured wefts placed in a seemingly haphazard fashion as if to use up oddments of wool. The use of fine silk for the second of the three wefts, as in the present example, denotes a carpet of the highest quality within the group. This fine weft creates extremely dense pile; a testament to the technical virtuosity of the weaving, the carpet is in an outstanding state of preservation for a carpet of this period, still with deep and lustrous pile, and the intense jewel-like colours of the best Safavid weavings.

The Jeziorak carpet, though unusual in its diminutive size, displays both the structure and the design of a 'vase' carpet with a sophisticated lattice arrangement of ornate palmettes and vases. Three striped vases, one on the central axis at the bottom and two symmetrically disposed at the top, contain stylised bunches of small pale flower-heads. These rosette-like flower-heads are then repeated within the arabesque border, appearing to weave within the vines. Ogives, composed of white, yellow and blue form a delicate tracery, linking rosettes and palmette blossoms together. It is these ogives, dividing up the field, which give the carpet its distinctive design structure. The geometric interiors of the vases and the lyrical arabesque border would suggest a mid-seventeenth century attribution. The freshness of the colours, vivid sky blues and blazing oranges, make the carpet quite remarkable and, in their intensity, stand as testimony to the care bestowed upon this carpet and the prized place it has held in the hands of connoisseurs since it was woven some four hundred years ago.