A Northwest Persian/Azerbaijan gallery carpet

with a Kufic border

Overall measurements; 220cm across the top, 221cm across the bottom, 610cm the left hand side, 610cm the right hand side. Pile varies from 2 - 5mm, the indigo being particularly well preserved. With differential oxidisation in areas such as the taupe, aubergine, and the green where knotbars are visible; the pile is generally a little lower through the centre of the vertical axis. There some spot scattered areas of re-piling, for example within the central palmette at the lower end within the aubergine. Coarsely overlocked at each end. Cotton bands to underside at top and bottom, the top with hoops for hanging to the underside also, approx 1 ft from top edge. Sidecords re-overcast. Fringing lacking at each end.. Flexible handle; glorious colour, typical of this small group of gallery carpets.
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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."

The distinctive design, derived from a 17^th century model, with blossom palmettes with vertical and horizontal orientation and secondary design of dense smaller blossoms and vine trellis, was used through the 18^th century and into the 19^th century, spreading from Kurdistan and Northwest Persia across to Eastern Persia and to the Caucasus. The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are generally accepted as the dating of this group of carpets. For discussion of four late 18^th century and early 19^th century contrasting appearances of the ‘Harshang’ design, see Bensoussan, Pamela, ‘Four Harshang Pattern Carpets in the Musée des Arts Decoratifs’, Hali, Vol.3, no.3, pp.207-209.

For a gallery carpet with very similar main field design, and border with cartouche and star medallions, attributed to Northwest Iran or Caucasus , (670 by 244cm; symmetrically knotted), in the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York (In.68-219), see McMullan, Joseph, Islamic Carpets, Near Eastern Art Research Center, New York, 1965, No.27, pp.112-119 (pull-out plate). See also Denny, Walter, B., How to read Islamic Carpets, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2014, pp.96-97, fig. 82.

For a comparable Northwest Persian Kelleh, 18^th century (572 by 178cm), with ‘Harshang’ field design, see Rippon Boswell, Wiesbaden, 29 November 2014, lot 144 and Sotheby’s, London, Bortz Collection, 29 May 1998, lot 21.

For comparables in both field and border design: see an example with a red ground Kufic border, Schirwan, Kaukasus, Baku, 1800 (362 by 165cm), illustrated in Võlker, Angela, Die orientalischen Knüpfteppiche im MAK (Õsterreichisches Museum für angewandt Kunst), Vienna, 2001, No. 126, pp.342-343 (Inv. Nr. T8375/1922); a Shrivan, Caucasus, 1800 (372 by 158cm), Hallwylska museet (Inv. Nr. LX:I:C.c.1); Provenance: purchased by Count von Hallwyl at Ernst Stangen, Berlin, 1896, partially illustrated Ådahl, Karin, Den orientaliska mattan I Sverige, Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm, 1998, Nr. 39; and a Kuba carpet, 18^th century (389 by 173cm), Austria Auction Company, Vienna, 16 September 2014, lot 172 and a Kuba, circa 1800 (size unknown), partially illustrated, Erdmann, Kurt, Oriental Carpets, 1976, The Caucasian-Northwest Persian Carpet, pp. 45-56., fig. 111 (Private Italian Collection).