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The Adam Clayton Collection of carpets Introduction Adam Clayton is not renowned as a collector of carpets nearly as much as in his capacity as the bass player with U2. Yet as the group of carpets offered here demonstrates, he has a discerning eye and a clear taste. The vast majority of the carpets in this collection were purchased to furnish Danesmoate House just outside Dublin. In the context of a Georgian house with furniture dating from the same period, they worked very well in terms of design. Yet to the connoisseur these carpets were certainly very different and much more interesting than those one normally encounters in similar surroundings. The strength of the collection is in an area which has been substantially ignored or passed over in the carpet literature. That area is the field of Persian carpets dating from after the end of the Safavid dynasty in 1741 but before the beginning of commercial production under the Qajars in the second half of the nineteenth century. The collection shows a number of the most popular designs and fashions of the period. In the present group there is for instance a wide variety of versions of the lozenge lattice field which was probably one of the most frequently encountered design features. And while many of the designs can be traced back to the large carpets produced under the Safavids, the later versions seen here, mostly produced in North West Persia, also allow charming small motifs to be included such as birds and animals which would have been out of place among the earlier formality. That the interest in these carpets was considerably greater than just their decorative qualities is demonstrated by the considerable number of fragments which add to our knowledge of the period, many relating closely to the larger carpets in the collection. Kilims form another important part of the collection, and one that has been sadly lacking at auction in recent years. The majority of these were made at a similar period to the carpets, but with a very different aesthetic. The two aspects of the collection form an exciting counterpoint when viewed together. It is therefore a particular pleasure to be able to offer such an interesting and unusual collection of carpets for sale.

A NORTH WEST PERSIAN CARPET

CIRCA 1800

Details

A NORTH WEST PERSIAN CARPET
CIRCA 1800
The indigo field with a lozenge lattice formed of serrated leaves linked by rosettes enclosing floral sprays and birds, the spandrels with angular motifs, in an ivory rosette, serrated leaf and iris border between red and indigo hooked stellar flowerhead vine stripes, considerable areas of wear, loss to outer stripe, old repairs and slight tinting
11ft.5in. x 5ft.3in. (353cm. x 162cm.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis This lot is subject to Collection and Storage charges

Lot Essay

This is one of a small group of carpets, most of which have variations on a lozenge lattice field, all with identical spandrels. Many also have the same minor border as is seen here. One of this group with an ivory field which is in the carpet museum in Tehran, is inscribed with the date of 1231 (1816-7 AD) (Hali vol.1, no.1, p.45). It is attributed to the Bakhtiari. Another similar example was sold by Christie's on the premises at Parham Park, 14 May 1996, lot 723. Three further examples, one with the lozenges divided into three columns, have been in our King Street Rooms, 18 April 1985, lot 97, 12 October 2000, lot 149, and, from the James D. Burns Collection, 18 October 2001, lot 260.

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