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Lot Essay
The knot count is approximately 11H x 11V per cm. sq.
The 'Koum Kapi' group of silk rugs were woven in Istanbul by Armenian weavers who settled in the area within the city walls of the same name, which translates as 'Sand Gate'. Following the efforts of two Armenians, Zara Agha and Apraham Agha at the very end of the 19th century, the first looms of what was to become the 'Koum Kapi' school were set up in Istanbul. The technical ability of their weavers and the fine quality of their materials, mainly silk and metal-thread, resulted in a long tradition of excellence (George Farrow with Leonard Harrow, Hagop Kapoudjian, London, 1993, p.11). These weavers were greatly inspired by the masterpieces that surrounded them as residents of the spectacular Ottoman capital, including 16th century Persian Safavid carpets in the collection of the Imperial Treasury at the Topkapi Palace. Carpets, books and mosque decorations in the highly refined Ottoman court style that could be seen in the treasuries and mosques of the old city also served as inspiration, (Pamela Bensoussan, 'The Master Weavers of Istanbul', Hali 26, 1985, p.34). The design of counterposed palmettes on the present rug is taken almost directly from Isfahan carpets of the 16th century during the reign of Shah Abbas in Persia from whose name it is coined, of which examples would most certainly have been found in the Topkapi Palace collection.
Over the past few decades knowledge of the Armenian weavers of the Koum Kapi district in Istanbul has grown to the point where we are now able to attribute many of the rugs to individual weavers. Unfortunately the signature of the present rug, that resembles a rather primitive face in the centre of the rug, remains a mystery as it is does not appear in any of the literature on this subject and is unknown to experts in this field. It is tempting to suggest that this could be an alternate signature for Zareh Penyamin due to the quality of the weaving, its excellent drawing and the wonderfully rich palette of gold and sea-green silk but the stylised signature of our rug, that resembles a primitive face, is quite different from the signatures associated with Penyamin. Another master weaver to whom this rug may be attributable is Garabed Apelian, who moved from Kayseri to Istanbul to set up his studio in Gedik Paşa, and who had been particularly fond of incorporating floral decoration and birds within his designs (M. Önder Çokay, 'Istanbul's masters of silk' Hali, 192, Summer 2017, pp.104-7.
An extremely similar rug with the same palette and design but finer woven, sold recently at Sotheby's, 7 November 2017, lot 84. While that rug did not bear the same face-like signature as ours, it had the unusual inclusion of small birds and animals, such as an elephant, within some of its metal-thread palmettes. On account of the near identical field design and border pattern, the subtle colour palette and fine execution, it would not be impossible to suggest that both that rugs were woven in the same workshop.
The 'Koum Kapi' group of silk rugs were woven in Istanbul by Armenian weavers who settled in the area within the city walls of the same name, which translates as 'Sand Gate'. Following the efforts of two Armenians, Zara Agha and Apraham Agha at the very end of the 19th century, the first looms of what was to become the 'Koum Kapi' school were set up in Istanbul. The technical ability of their weavers and the fine quality of their materials, mainly silk and metal-thread, resulted in a long tradition of excellence (George Farrow with Leonard Harrow, Hagop Kapoudjian, London, 1993, p.11). These weavers were greatly inspired by the masterpieces that surrounded them as residents of the spectacular Ottoman capital, including 16th century Persian Safavid carpets in the collection of the Imperial Treasury at the Topkapi Palace. Carpets, books and mosque decorations in the highly refined Ottoman court style that could be seen in the treasuries and mosques of the old city also served as inspiration, (Pamela Bensoussan, 'The Master Weavers of Istanbul', Hali 26, 1985, p.34). The design of counterposed palmettes on the present rug is taken almost directly from Isfahan carpets of the 16th century during the reign of Shah Abbas in Persia from whose name it is coined, of which examples would most certainly have been found in the Topkapi Palace collection.
Over the past few decades knowledge of the Armenian weavers of the Koum Kapi district in Istanbul has grown to the point where we are now able to attribute many of the rugs to individual weavers. Unfortunately the signature of the present rug, that resembles a rather primitive face in the centre of the rug, remains a mystery as it is does not appear in any of the literature on this subject and is unknown to experts in this field. It is tempting to suggest that this could be an alternate signature for Zareh Penyamin due to the quality of the weaving, its excellent drawing and the wonderfully rich palette of gold and sea-green silk but the stylised signature of our rug, that resembles a primitive face, is quite different from the signatures associated with Penyamin. Another master weaver to whom this rug may be attributable is Garabed Apelian, who moved from Kayseri to Istanbul to set up his studio in Gedik Paşa, and who had been particularly fond of incorporating floral decoration and birds within his designs (M. Önder Çokay, 'Istanbul's masters of silk' Hali, 192, Summer 2017, pp.104-7.
An extremely similar rug with the same palette and design but finer woven, sold recently at Sotheby's, 7 November 2017, lot 84. While that rug did not bear the same face-like signature as ours, it had the unusual inclusion of small birds and animals, such as an elephant, within some of its metal-thread palmettes. On account of the near identical field design and border pattern, the subtle colour palette and fine execution, it would not be impossible to suggest that both that rugs were woven in the same workshop.