SOUTH EAST CAUCASUS, CIRCA 1870

This very finely woven small rug is one of a very small group, almost all of which have ivory fields, a couple of which are shorter in length, but all of which share a similar field design and narrow width. Four others in the group have been sold at auction (Rippon Boswell, Wiesbaden, 15 May 1999, lot 71 (previously at Sotheby's London 14 October 1998, lot 13, unillustrated); Skinner, Boston, 20 April 1996; Phillips, London, 30 January 1990, lot 15), and Christie's London 18 October 2001, lot 283 from the Jim Burns Collection. One was with Herrmann (Eberhart: Seltene Orientteppiche IX, no.33, pp.82-3) while another is in the Burns Collection (James D.: The Caucasus, Traditions in Weaving, Seattle, 1987, illustrated on p.13). The design is in fact the triple overlaid lattice of the vase carpets, but reduced to its purest geometry. The present rug, together with the Herrmann and second Burns example appear to be the earlier of the group, leaving space each side of the central design for an assortment of minor motifs.