Lot Essay
Transylvanian rugs with white grounds are among the rarest within the classic double-niche group. One example was sold in the sale of the Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets in these Rooms, 14 February 1996, lot 104. The present rug probably antedates the Bernheimer example. It has a finer weave and slightly more delicate drawing. It also has a greater interplay of colour with alternation for example shown in the minor panels in the border as well as the major cartouches.