EAST CAUCASUS, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

An example dated 1230 (1815) was sold at Sotheby's New York, 5 december 1987, Lot 90 and a prayer version was sold at Sotheby's New York, 11 December 1981, Lot 136. For a similar example please see Hermann, E.:Asiatische Teppich und Textilkunst, Vol.3, Munich, 1991, no.24, p.56. The design in the rug illustrated is remarkably cramped in relation to the one offered here. Another example in black and white is illustrated in Hermann, E.:Von Lotto Bis Tekke, Seltene Orienteppiche Aus Vier Jahrhunderten, Vol.1, Munich, 1978, No.33 (Daghestan). The design for this group was inspired by 18th century Caucasian weaving. The field design suggests a relationship to shield carpets (Pinner, R. and Franses, M. 'Caucasian Shield Carpets' Hali Vol.1, No.1, Spring 1978, pp. 4-22).
The lot offered here represents post-classical Caucasian villiage weaving at a highly sophisticated level with balance and harmony in both design and palette.