PROBABLY USHAK, WEST ANATOLIA, 17TH CENTURY

The popularity of the sixteenth century 'Lotto' design resulted in an increased production of the type in the following century. The majority of these it appears were, like the Transylvanian rugs, destined for the European market. They tend, as here, to have much larger borders in comparison to their field size than the earlier examples (see lot 25). The two most frequently encountered border types are the cartouche design and the cloudband design as seen here. A number of comparable examples are preserved in Hungary and Romania (Gyula Vegh and Karoli Layer: Turkish Rugs in Transylvania, London, 1977 reprint, pl.5; Ferenc Batari: Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest, 1994, no.13, p.108). This latter example is particularly close to the present rug with its large scale cloudband motifs pointing away from the centre of the rug. Another similar example sold in these Rooms, from The Aita Collection, 18 October, 2001, lot 228.