Lot Essay
This is one of a small group of eighteenth century Bergama rugs whose design is based on a sixteenth century star Ushak variant such as one in New York (McMullan, Joseph V.: Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.68, pp.232-3). The design was adapted soon after this in central Anatolia (Balpinar, Belkis and Hirsch, Udo: Carpets: Vakiflar Museum Istanbul, Wesel, 1988, pls.37 and 38, pp.250-254). The intermediate stage in the development of the design is shown by a rug in New York with ragged palmette border (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, fig.165, p.187). A small number of comparable rugs to the present example have survived, one of which is also in the Metropolitan Museum (McMullan, op.cit., no.69, pp.234-5).