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Lot Essay
As our knowledge of the weavers of Istanbul at the begining of this century continues to develop the attribution of this master weaver remains highly important. Zareh Penyamins exacting standards and constant supervision at all stages of weaving and incorporating innovative techniques set him apart from others.
He was extremely skillful and was able to interchange different combinations of the same design. The present lot and lot 19 are examples of this technique. With the exception of the guard stripes they are of exactly the same design but have different palettes. Although neither rug bears a signature the cartoon of this design is illustrated in Benoussan, P:Hali 26 'The Master Weavers of Istanbul', April/May/June 1983, pp. 34-41, pl.15. Not mentioned in this article, but pointed out by the owner of the cartoons, was the fact that one of them bears a signature that differs from Zareh's usual form. This is a signature that was found on a Koum Kapi rug sold in these rooms on 26 april 1994 Lot 419 that shares the same design as the present lot. George Farrow makes note of another rug which bears this signature and also the signature of the Hereke workshop (Farrow, G.F.:'Koum Kapi Masters', in HALI 46, August 1989, p.11) suggesting that Zareh began his career at the Hereke workshops and used this signature very early in his career and then changed it to the better known signature found on other Koum Kapi designs.
He was extremely skillful and was able to interchange different combinations of the same design. The present lot and lot 19 are examples of this technique. With the exception of the guard stripes they are of exactly the same design but have different palettes. Although neither rug bears a signature the cartoon of this design is illustrated in Benoussan, P:Hali 26 'The Master Weavers of Istanbul', April/May/June 1983, pp. 34-41, pl.15. Not mentioned in this article, but pointed out by the owner of the cartoons, was the fact that one of them bears a signature that differs from Zareh's usual form. This is a signature that was found on a Koum Kapi rug sold in these rooms on 26 april 1994 Lot 419 that shares the same design as the present lot. George Farrow makes note of another rug which bears this signature and also the signature of the Hereke workshop (Farrow, G.F.:'Koum Kapi Masters', in HALI 46, August 1989, p.11) suggesting that Zareh began his career at the Hereke workshops and used this signature very early in his career and then changed it to the better known signature found on other Koum Kapi designs.