EAST CAUCASUS, FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Details

A KUBA LONG RUG
EAST CAUCASUS, FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Of 'Harshang' design, light even wear, localised corrosion and associated repiling, light surface marks, selvages rebound
11ft.7in. x 4ft.10in. (355cm. x 147cm.)

Provenance

Aram K. Jerrehian, sold Sotheby's New York, 27 April 2000, lot 78

Literature

Dennis R. Dodds et. al., Oriental Rugs From Atlantic Collections, Philadelphia, 1996, pl.74

Exhibited

'Highstyle to Homestyle', Woodmere Art Museum, Pennsylvania, 1996

Special notice

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends. This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Behnaz Atighi Moghaddam Head of Sale

batighi@christies.com +44 20 7389 2509

Lot Essay

The variety of colour, execution of design and balanced proportions in this Kuba long rug are of exceptional quality which closely relate to a kelleh of 'Harshang' design illustrated by Ulrich Shürmann, Caucasian rugs, Braunschweig, 1961, pp.258-9, pl.95. The design of flaming palmettes enclosing stylised peony blossoms, the origin of which ultimately derives from the Isfahan 'in and out' palmette design, was coined the 'Harshang' pattern by Charles Grant Ellis but is also known as the 'Joshagan', or 'Shah Abbas' design (Ş. Yetkin, Early Caucasian Carpets, vol. l, p. 64). Ellis notes that the design originated either in Khorasan or India, and is closely related to the 'Afshan' design which was also heavily used in the region, (see previous lot in the present sale). Both the 'Harshang' and 'Afshan' designs proved extremely popular in the 18th and 19th centuries (C.G. Ellis, Early Caucasian Rugs, Washington D.C, 1976, pl.28).

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