A SILK KIRMAN RUG

BY ABU'L QASEM KIRMANI, SOUTH EAST PERSIA, CIRCA 1880

Details

A SILK KIRMAN RUG
BY ABU'L QASEM KIRMANI, SOUTH EAST PERSIA, CIRCA 1880
The light silver-grey field filled with bold scrolling palmette vine and serrated leaves around a large cusped indigo and ivory concentric lozenge medallion containing similar motifs, the spandrels with large cusped floral panels extending over the border and into the field filled with further opulent floral sprays, in a light blue border of floral cartouches between burgundy and ivory floral and leafy meander stripes, outer cusped indigo rosette stripe, signature cartouche above inscribed "'amal-e Abu'l Qasem Kirmani 1103", a short kilim strip at each end full pile, minute split at one end, not dry
8ft.2in. x 4ft.10in. (248cm. x 147cm.)

Lot Essay

The weaver of this classic design Kirman rug is better known for his versions of the 1898-9 tree of life rug designed by Fursat Shirazi, one of which is in the Carpet Museum in Teheran. Two others of this design, one in silk and one in wool, have been sold in these Rooms (30 April 1998, lot 153 and 22 April 1999, lot 50). A later prayer rug dated 1905-6 by the same weaver uses a millefleurs design typical of the period (Christie's, London, 30 April 1998, lot 158). The present rug stylistically would appear to antedate the other examples. The numbers in the inscription cartouche come where he normally dates rugs; it would make sense if the date were intended to be AH 1303 (1885-6 AD).

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