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FINE ANTIQUE ORIENTAL RUGS 41 There are 30 Lots.
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Startpreis / Startingbid
50 000 €Lot: 21
Extremely rare, early, complete, almost...1382 x 28 cm (45' 4" x 11")
Turkmenistan, 18th century
Condition: very good according to age, good pile, minor small repairs, minimally stained
Published: "Seltene Orientteppiche VIII", Eberhart Herrmann, 1986, plate 105
Warp: wool, weft: wool and cotton, pile: wool with cotton highlights
For collectors of Turkmen tent bands, fully knotted examples are something of a Holy Grail. Only four fully preserved, entirely knotted tent bands exist worldwide. This example is considered the most beautiful - though closely followed by a piece in the Textile Museum in Washington. The main difference lies in the elegance of our leaf-and-flower border compared to the better-known rolled leaf version of the museum piece, whose colors also change along the length of the band.
The other two fully knotted tent bands, from the Thompson Collection and the Kaffel Collection, display more "typical" Yomud motifs in the field. In particular, the Kaffel piece differs only in technique from the usual tent bands, where only the patterned areas are knotted onto a flatwoven ground. Moreover, these two bands are significantly wider at 36?cm, compared to the finer examples at 28?cm.
When Eberhart Herrmann published this piece in 1986, he described the pattern as six different abstracted forms of animal-tree motifs. Three decades later, Jürg Rageth, in 'Turkmen Carpets', identified at least two of these forms as Mughal floral motifs (p. 676). On p. 679, he traces the fine leaf-and-flower border back to Safavid border designs. For a detailed discussion of the so-called animal-tree motif, see the text on our Asmalyk.
The beauty of this weaving, the richness of its design repertoire, its excellent state of preservation, and its uniqueness - the only other fully knotted example is in a museum - make this band one of the most desirable Turkmen works in existence.
Comparable pieces:
- Textile Museum example: Turkmen, Louise W. Mackie, John Thompson, 1980, pp. 52-55
- Thompson example: Sotheby's New York, 16 December 1993, Lot 39; HALI 73, p. 136 and HALI 195, p. 138
- Kaffel example: HALI 4/1, back cover; Grogan Boston, 21 January 2024, Lot 189; HALI 219, p. 179
Estimate: € 100000 - 15000050 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
20 000 €Lot: 22
Early Tekke 'Animal Tree'-Asmalyk150 x 81 cm (4' 11" x 2' 8")
Turkmenistan, ca. 1800
Condition: very good, full pile, minor small moth damages, minor small repairs
Published: HALI 137, p. 83 and "Gewebt und geknüpft I - III", TKF, 2011, p.64
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
Bridal camel trappings with this extremely rare design are among the most sought-after Turkmen knotted works. Only about fifteen examples are known worldwide (HALI 181, p. 129). Almost all of these pieces feature a rolled leaf border on an ivory-colored ground. The field pattern consists of 11 (Heksher) to 32 (Widersperg) elements arranged in staggered rows. These depict a vegetal motif - almost always referred to as a tree - surrounded by a pair of two-headed animals, as often seen on Caucasian flatweaves and carpets.
Robert Pinner and Michael Franses introduced this design in 'Turkoman Studies I' (1980), linking it to Chinese silk fabrics and bronze works from the Han Dynasty (p. 128, figs. 250/251). However, Uwe Jourdan dismissed this theory as "pure speculation" in his comprehensive review of Asmalyks in HALI 25 Years (2004). He refers to the significance of the Asmalyk in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Inv. No. 41.921), which also shows plant forms, and compares them on p. 40 - yet he maintains the designation as "tree forms."
Jürg Rageth, in his magnum opus 'Turkmen Carpets - A New Perspective' (2016), also adheres to this interpretation. He dates the emergence of the so-called animal-tree motif later than Pinner/Franses and points to silk fabrics from the 9th to 17th centuries (p. 608). In contrast, he associates the floral motifs in the Elem panels of early main carpets and Ensi with Mughal carpets of the 17th century (pp. 686/687).
Particularly the Asmalyks from Paris and the Heksher Asmalyk allow for interesting comparisons that clearly question the designation of this motif as a "tree." In both pieces, the leaves are still directly attached to the flower stem, and in the Heksher piece, the triangular-ended "arms" have not yet merged into a latticework, as seen in later examples.
Regardless of this iconographic debate, the quality of the present piece, with its deep colors, excellent wool, and soft handle, is a masterpiece of Turkmen weaving, setting the standard for the other pieces of this rare group.
Published in HALI 137, p. 83, and in Gewebt und Geknüpft I-III', p. 64.
Estimate: € 40000 - 6000020 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
15 000 €Lot: 23
Early Salor Main Carpet315 x 255 cm (10' 4" x 8' 4")
Turkmenistan, ca. 1800 or before
Condition: good according to age, low pile in places, scattered small moth damages, scattered small repairs, one small hole in the left border
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
Only around 40 fully preserved Salor main carpets are known worldwide. Fewer than five of these feature an arrangement of 5 × 10 güls. One of them is our piece - with its wonderfully deep colors and excellent state of preservation. Radiocarbon dating carried out by Jürg Rageth suggests that these carpets were woven over centuries with an essentially unchanged design.
Carpets of such perfection, size, and quality could only have been produced under workshop-like conditions and were likely knotted for the permanent winter settlements of the Turkmen. In 'Turkmen Carpets - A New Approach', Jürg Rageth draws a connection between Sogdian textiles - such as the one from the mausoleum of Saint Lambert of Liège - and the fundamental layout of Salor carpets. He also identifies several comparable design elements (see pp. 442 ff. and 462 ff.).
According to Elena Tsareva, the Salor were regarded by other Turkmen tribes as the founders of carpet weaving in Western Turkestan. Jürg Rageth expressed a similar view when he wrote:
"Based on the findings of our study, we can go even further and venture to describe the Salor carpet as the classical carpet of Central Asia."
The nearly unchanged design of these exceptional pieces over such a long period makes it difficult to distinguish carpets with identical gül counts in the literature. Crucial clues can therefore be found in the corner solutions of the borders, where subtle variations appear.
In addition to its rich colors and excellent preservation, this visually stunning carpet stands as an important historical document of Turkmen weaving artistry.
Estimate: € 30000 - 4000015 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
5 000 €Lot: 24
Early Karabagh414 x 207 cm (13' 7" x 6' 9")
Armenia, early 19th century
Condition: very good according to age, mostly good pile, partially corroded dark brown, scattered small repairs
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
At first glance, this brilliantly colored and unusual kelleh seems to evoke the Harshang design - but there is much more happening here. Amidst a roughly maintained symmetry on a black ground, we find numerous design quotations that typically do not belong to the Harshang or Afshan repertoire.
The two palmette forms with blue backgrounds in the lower half are borrowed from 18th-century blossom carpets, such as the centrally placed motifs seen in Schürmann's Teppiche aus dem Kaukasus (no. 1). Between them stands a solitary cloud band, rooted in Safavid or Ottoman tradition. A large, stylized blue palmette is flanked by two tilted floral motifs. Above this, a white bifurcated leaf, despite its simple execution, forms the visual center of the carpet - almost a playful nod to the Harshang pattern. The yellow form above it could be interpreted as a vase motif but is more likely an awkwardly drawn cloud band.
The green shapes to either side each feature a bifurcated leaf and appear to be simplified representations of the horizontal "crab" motifs, typically adorned with four bifurcated leaves, that are characteristic of the Harshang style. Only the yellow figure at the very top center is rendered in the way we know from classical Harshang carpets.
The four white-ground motifs in the corners frame this fascinating composition and its multitude of filler elements harmoniously. All of this is enclosed by a simple, clear yellow border, which borrows elements from the borders of Dragon carpets.
What a 'tour de force' of artistic expression! This is a carpet one could study for months - continually discovering new details with each viewing.
Estimate: € 10000 - 150005 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
10 000 €Lot: 25
Fine Indian Mughal "Summer Carpet"356 x 270 cm (11' 8" x 8' 10")
India, 18th century
Condition: very good, minor small repairs, minimally stained
Silk on cotton
Finely embroidered summer carpets were spread out in India during the hot months in place of knotted carpets. Numerous miniatures from the 17th and 18th centuries document their use. Noble gentlemen and ladies are often depicted sitting on terraces upon such textiles - for example, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Inv. No. D.1171-1903.
These embroideries were highly sought after in Europe and were exported to England and Holland by the respective East India Companies. As early as the 16th century, the English East India Company ordered covers made by professional male embroiderers of the Mochi caste in Gujarat. In their delicacy and elegance, these works remain unsurpassed to this day.
The general layout of the field - a medallion with pendants and quarter medallions in the corners - is known from several pieces. However, our example differs in that the field itself has been left open. This form of design was introduced to India by the Mughal emperors.
In HALI 125, p. 125, a comparable piece with a filled ground is discussed, and in HALI 92, p. 119, another, in which the shape of the medallion with pendants closely resembles the present example. At the center of the medallion, executed with graceful elegance, is a circular form reminiscent of a lotus throne.
The border displays a system of blossoms and vines known as the 'Herati' pattern, which spread throughout the Orient across various media. Some Suzanis can be traced back to this excellent expression of Mughal Indian court art.
Estimate: € 20000 - 3000010 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
5 000 €Lot: 26
Garrus with Inscriptions512 x 324 cm (16' 10" x 10' 8")
Persia, second half 19th century
Condition: very good, mostly good pile, both ends slightly incomplete, minor small repairs
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
In the 19th century, some of the most faithful successors to the Safavid golden age of Persian carpet art were woven in the Garrus region. These carpets are astonishingly close to classical Safavid pieces - not only in their design vocabulary but, at times, also in their color quality. Even their often elongated formats - frequently more than twice as long as they are wide - testify to this stylistic affinity.
Carpet production in this region can be broadly divided into two groups that were created simultaneously: on the one hand, elegant, precisely drawn decorative carpets; on the other, carefree and playful design interpretations. The present piece clearly belongs to the latter group.
Set against a beautifully abrashed midnight-blue ground lies a sky-blue medallion with pendants. Within it, a variety of motifs appear - borrowed from carpets of neighboring Kurdish regions: references to Harshang carpets, palmettes, cartouche-like bifurcated leaves, blossoms, and plants seem to float on the pale ground. These same elements reappear in the dark field of the main ground but are arranged symmetrically - a compositional choice that brings order and calm to an otherwise richly detailed design.
Four humorously stylized dragon heads guard the corners of the field. Only upon closer inspection does one notice the narrow red strips to the left and right - between the dark field and the secondary borders - revealing that the medallion itself also lies on an underlying red ground, bearing the same pattern. Inscriptions can be found in these slim red sections, though they appear to be illegible. Similar script-like motifs also appear in the red area of the main border, slightly below center.
The main border, typical for Garrus carpets, is another highlight: its colors shift between green, blue, and various intermediate tones. This vibrant movement is enhanced by pronounced abrash, which is wonderfully evident in our example.
Estimate: € 10000 - 150005 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
5 000 €Lot: 27
Exceptional Agra Pictorial Carpet436 x 360 cm (14' 4" x 11' 10")
India, late 19th century
Condition: very good, mostly good pile, minor small repairs
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool
Agra carpets of the 19th century, which draw on Safavid traditions, are often characterized by precisely executed axial symmetry that conveys a sense of harmonious balance. Currently, Christie's Private Sales is offering a piece with a similar color scheme and symmetrical structure. Another example, sold by Christie's on October 28, 2021, as Lot No. 182, also features a symmetrical arrangement of large Safavid palmette motifs.
In our carpet, however, the size of the yellow palmettes along the vertical axis has been deliberately reduced to make room for a wonderful menagerie of animal depictions. Animal motifs are extremely rare on Agra carpets. One of the few known examples is a large Agra carpet from the collection of Sir Sydney Barratt, Crowe Hall in Bath, which was sold by Christie's on December 16, 2010, as Lot 93 for just under £50,000.
The inspiration for these highly decorative pieces came from a small group of Persian silk carpets from the 16th century, originating in Kashan. One example from the Gulbenkian Collection was published by Kurt Erdmann in 'Orientteppiche', No. 69. Another is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Inv. No. 14.40.721). These carpets depict realistic and fantastic animals in combat.
In contrast, our piece presents deer, lions, birds, and Chinese-inspired mythical creatures such as qilin and large phoenixes - all in peaceful coexistence. This finely drawn, classical Agra carpet, with its rare pattern and perfect colors, is every interior designer's dream and a showpiece for any private home.
A nearly identical example, differing only in the positioning of the blue cows, was offered by Christie's on April 23, 2024, as Lot No. 226.
Estimate: € 10000 - 150005 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
7 500 €Lot: 28
Bakhtiari with Inscriptions500 x 359 cm (16' 5" x 11' 9")
Persia, dated 1308 (1891)
Condition: very good, mostly good pile, minor small repairs
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool
This oversized Bakhtiari carpet is an exceptionally unusual piece, yet it displays the beautiful color palette typical of this provenance. In his book The Persian Carpet, Cecil Edwards (p. 310) describes the development of Bakhtiari carpets in the early 19th century. At that time, wealthy Khans of the Bakhtiari tribes built summer residences in the region east of the Zagros Mountains and west of Isfahan. This area eventually gave its name to the carpets, even though they were mainly woven by the local Turkish-speaking population. During his visit in 1949, Edwards also noted the presence of numerous Persian and seven Armenian villages in the region. The most common design found in carpets from the Chahar Mahal region is undoubtedly the garden motif. The piece at hand, however, presents a mystery: at its center rises a tree-like structure with various branches, some of which are inhabited by birds. The red base of this "tree" only reveals itself when viewed from the side - then one can discern dragon-like crocodile heads, similar to those seen on the Garrus carpet featured elsewhere in this catalog.
To the right and left of the central motif, column-like structures rise, each topped and based by a pair of lions - one such lion pair also appears in the center of the carpet. Halfway up the columns sits a horned, mustachioed demon mask, reminiscent of those found in Persian miniatures. Helm decorations and battle axes with demonic embellishments are documented in both Ottoman and Persian art.A comparable motif appears in Mohammed Pakzad's Persische Teppiche, illustration no. 230: a Kirman carpet featuring a central demon from whose head a vase of flowers emerges - flanked by two lions. To either side, two columns support a pediment. Pakzad writes:
"A horned demon with fan-like wings stands between dragons, which appear to be attacking him. Two enraged lions lunge at the dragons." He interprets the scene as a depiction of the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Estimate: € 15000 - 200007 500 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
6 000 €Lot: 29
Bakhshaish360 x 255 cm (11' 10" x 8' 4")
Persia, late 19th century
Condition: good, pile evenly low, scattered small repairs
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool
Bakhshaish is a village located in the Heriz region east of Tehran. From the late 19th century onward, carpet weaving became an important economic factor there, driven by growing demand from the USA and Europe. Cecil Edwards writes in his book 'The Persian Carpet' that more than half a million Heriz carpets were produced during the first fifty years of the 20th century. He considers the carpets from Heriz to be of the highest quality but acknowledges Bakhshaish as the village within the Heriz area with the longest weaving tradition (see p. 62).
Today, carpets from Bakhshaish are often more highly valued. According to Edwards, around 500 looms were active in the village. The wool used in older carpets came - either raw or already spun - from nearby Shahsavan nomads, whose material Edwards especially praises for its quality. The Turkish-speaking weavers in the region were not accustomed to knotting rounded forms and thus represented ancient Persian designs in a more abstract way. This gave rise to a new category of Persian carpet art.
Carpets from this village that feature central medallions generally have narrower borders compared to those with "all-over" patterns. Two comparable examples - Rippon Boswell A87, lot 175, and Christie's New York, auction 8616, lot 42 - confirm this. However, in both cases the borders are drawn more naturalistically. This approach is also evident in the inner outlines surrounding the medallion and in the corner motifs with white grounds, where simple, interconnected blossoms are depicted.
By contrast, our carpet reveals the weaver's charming attention to detail in the form of small cross motifs composed of tiny squares. One can almost feel the joy she must have had in creating this design. The dark ground of the medallion makes the motifs resting upon it glow, as does the gently abrashed field.
This early piece from the beginning of the production period masterfully combines the medallion's clarity with the playfulness of the background - an aesthetic that is difficult to resist.
Estimate: € 12000 - 160006 000 € -
Startpreis / Startingbid
10 000 €Lot: 30
Large Kashan Mohtashem385 x 330 cm (12' 8" x 10' 10")
Persia, second half 19th century
Condition: good, low pile in places, scattered small repairs, slight signs of use
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool
The term Mohtashem is applied to a confusingly wide range of carpets. This inconsistent usage led Ian Bennett - renowned carpet expert and author of a standard reference work - to critically examine the term in HALI 35, pp. 44-49. Starting from a silk carpet bearing the signature "Hajji Mullah Muhammed Hasan Mohtashem," he posed the valid question of why entirely different-looking pieces are also attributed to this name. The confusion reaches its peak when a carpet bearing a completely different signature is nonetheless labeled a Mohtashem. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Cecil Edwards - one of the most knowledgeable scholars of Persian carpets - does not mention the name Mohtashem even once in his book 'The Persian Carpet'. This prompted Bennett to ask whether Mohtashem might in fact be a myth. At this point, Parviz Tanavoli provides an important clue: Edwards includes a revealing passage about the revival of carpet weaving in Kashan (p.?334). He attributes this revival to a merchant who happened to have a surplus of Manchester yarn, and to his wife, a skilled weaver from Arak. The merchant's name was Haji Mollah Hassan - which closely resembles the signature found on the silk carpet and may indeed refer to the same person as Mohtashem. According to Edwards, the merchant's wife wove the first carpet, a second was also successful, and he concludes: "And in due course the first modern Kashan was born." P. R. J. Ford summarizes it in his book Oriental Carpet Design as follows: "Mohtasham was the most famous Kashan master-weaver of the end of the nineteenth century It was Mohtasham who established the standards of excellence that have merged [into] the Kashan production of the twentieth century." In Persian, the word mohtashem also means "fine" or "noble" - a description that certainly applies to our carpet. With its elegantly restrained color palette and finely rendered drawing, it is indeed both refined and noble. Delicately drawn floral garlands stand out clearly within the midnight-blue medallion and its pendants. A second, smaller medallion with even finer blossoms dominates the center of the carpet. Pastel-colored vines on a white ground frame the medallion harmoniously. In the corners, subtle suggestions of further medallions can be seen. In contrast, the main border feels more expansive: leaf motifs, palmettes, and undulating vines are given generous space to unfold on a pale blue ground.
Estimate: € 20000 - 3000010 000 €