CENTRAL ANATOLIA, LATE 17TH OR EARLY 18TH CENTURY

Details

A KONYA LONG RUG
CENTRAL ANATOLIA, LATE 17TH OR EARLY 18TH CENTURY
The shaded brick-red field with a column of three polychrome octagonal panels containing stylised flowerheads issuing angular flowering vine, polychrome panels at each end, indigo and ivory angular vine spandrels and cartouche cross-panel above, in a pale camel border with rosettes and bold polychrome stylised palmettes, each with paired stylised leaves terminating in hyacinth sprays, between rosette and S-motif stripes, one end rewoven, small areas of restoration
12ft.10in. x 4ft.9in. (393cm. x 145cm.)

Provenance

Anon sale, Sotheby's London, 12 October 1978, lot 83

Literature

Bechirian,R: Tapis, Paris, 1976 p.226
De Calatchi, Robert: Oriental Carpets, Rutland and Tokyo 1970, pl.60 p.149

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This border coupled with the spandrels are found in a number of "Transylvanian" prayer rugs such as one sold in these Rooms 13 April 2000, lot 76. Both derive originally from the Ottoman prayer rugs such as that offered as lot 26 in this sale. Even the hexagonal shaped panel at one end can be seen to come from the same source. The format of this rug however is much closer to a group of Konya runners which use the same border as is found here, but combined with a red field which is decorated with border elements, such as an example in the Alexander Collection (Alexander, Christopher: A Foreshadowing of 21st Century Art, New York and Oxford, 1993, pp.328-331). The retention of the earlier features such as the cross-panel and the spandrels indicate that this is one of the earliest of these Konya runners of "Transylvanian" inspiration to be produced.

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