Lot Essay
This carpet is one of a clearly defined group which use the very soft pashmina wool which comes from underbelly of the mountain goat of Ladakh and Tibet, usually knotted on a cotton or silk foundation. While the pile is remarkably soft, it takes colour in the same way as wool. The palette is similar in all the rugs of this group with the majority having an indigo field, as here. Particularly distinctive are the ivory guard stripes which can be seen on every member of the group.
The most remarkable example of the type is the Vanderbilt Mughal Lattice Carpet, sold in our New York Rooms, 10 April 1995, lot 100. That carpet is easily the largest of the group and has also survived in remarkable condition. In addition to this piece, there are approximately twelve other published examples. The most frequently encountered design is an overall millefleurs pattern, often with a small central medallion. One such example was sold in these Rooms 20 October 1992, lot 352 while others are in the Textile Museum,Washington (McMullan, Joseph V.: Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.34), the Metropolitan Museum, New York (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, nos.65 and 66, figs 141 and 142), and the Wher Collection (Thompson, Jon: Carpet Magic, exhibition catalogue, London, 1983, p. 146). The majority of the group have designs in the form of a prayer rug, the field ususally flanked by two half-cypress trees (for one example, together with a listing of the other prayer rugs, see Herrmann, E.: Seltene Orientteppiche X, Munich, 1987, pp.7-9). The present example is unusual in the strength of the lattice in the field. One example formerly in the McMullan Collection (op.cit., no.33) has a more rectilinear lattice.
While the Vanderbilt example has a design that is undoubtedly Indian, as do the two pieces mentioned above that are in the Metropolitan Museum, the majority of the group have evidence of Persian influence. This has led a number of authorities to attribute the group to Southern Persia, particularly on account of the similarity of the designs of the prayer rugs to the later products of the South Persian Qashqai tribal weavings. Yet the acknowledged earlier date of this group, coupled with the clear Indian design of some of the rugs must make an Indian origin more probable. A very damaged example of the group sold at Sotheby's (20 October 1993, lot 79) had flowers displaying a typical Indian use of pink outlines on red flowerheads.
The most remarkable example of the type is the Vanderbilt Mughal Lattice Carpet, sold in our New York Rooms, 10 April 1995, lot 100. That carpet is easily the largest of the group and has also survived in remarkable condition. In addition to this piece, there are approximately twelve other published examples. The most frequently encountered design is an overall millefleurs pattern, often with a small central medallion. One such example was sold in these Rooms 20 October 1992, lot 352 while others are in the Textile Museum,Washington (McMullan, Joseph V.: Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.34), the Metropolitan Museum, New York (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, nos.65 and 66, figs 141 and 142), and the Wher Collection (Thompson, Jon: Carpet Magic, exhibition catalogue, London, 1983, p. 146). The majority of the group have designs in the form of a prayer rug, the field ususally flanked by two half-cypress trees (for one example, together with a listing of the other prayer rugs, see Herrmann, E.: Seltene Orientteppiche X, Munich, 1987, pp.7-9). The present example is unusual in the strength of the lattice in the field. One example formerly in the McMullan Collection (op.cit., no.33) has a more rectilinear lattice.
While the Vanderbilt example has a design that is undoubtedly Indian, as do the two pieces mentioned above that are in the Metropolitan Museum, the majority of the group have evidence of Persian influence. This has led a number of authorities to attribute the group to Southern Persia, particularly on account of the similarity of the designs of the prayer rugs to the later products of the South Persian Qashqai tribal weavings. Yet the acknowledged earlier date of this group, coupled with the clear Indian design of some of the rugs must make an Indian origin more probable. A very damaged example of the group sold at Sotheby's (20 October 1993, lot 79) had flowers displaying a typical Indian use of pink outlines on red flowerheads.