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Lot Essay
"Transylvanian" rugs have been the subject of study for a long time, and have been the subject of considerable speculation. Most authorities are now happy that they were made in Western Anatolia for the export market to Eastern Europe, where a great number still remain. The present example has a number of unusual features, notably the colouring which is very different from the strong reds and blues found in so many of these rugs. The camel coloured field is found on a number of prayer rugs, particularly those with the pale flowers seen in each angle (Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest (Batári, Ferenc: Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest, 1994, pl.82); in the Black Church, Brasov (Schmutzler, Emil: Altorientalische Teppiche in Siebenbürgen, Leipzig, 1933, pl.38) and Christie's London, 13 April, 2000, lot 78). Most of these share with the present example the white spandrels filled with floral sprays.
The border design here is different from those on the rugs noted above, but is a well known alternative which is found on a number of rugs with a similar field design (Schmutzler, op.cit., plos. 22, 27, and 36 for example). The last of these three is very similar indeed to the present rug, having the same inner and outer guard stripes, but more attenuated flowers in the spandrels. It is however the green colour of the border which is remarkable, creating a colour balance in this rug which is never normally found in classical oriental carpets.
The border design here is different from those on the rugs noted above, but is a well known alternative which is found on a number of rugs with a similar field design (Schmutzler, op.cit., plos. 22, 27, and 36 for example). The last of these three is very similar indeed to the present rug, having the same inner and outer guard stripes, but more attenuated flowers in the spandrels. It is however the green colour of the border which is remarkable, creating a colour balance in this rug which is never normally found in classical oriental carpets.