SECOND HALF 18TH CENTURY

Details

A NORTH WEST PERSIAN KELLEH
Second half 18th century
The indigo field with overall harshang design of polychrome palmettes and linked hooked angular vine, in a rust-red border of palmettes and flowering leafy vine between shaded sandy yellow floral meander stripes, natural corrosion in the brown, localised areas of wear, scattered areas of minor repiling, backing strips at both ends
18ft.9in. x 6ft. (570cm. x 183cm.)

Provenance

Anon sale, Rippon Boswell, Wiesbaden, 10 November 1990, lot 174.

Literature

Hali, 55, February 1991, auction price guide, p.163 "One of the most impressive examples of its kind we have seen".

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 kelleh has wonderfully preserved colours and is in exceptional condition, taking its age into consideration. The spacing of the drawing is also very well worked. A similar feeling of space is found in a rug with the same field design but different border formerly in the McMullan Collection and now in the Mertopolitan Museum of Art, New York (McMullan, Joseph V.: Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.27, pp.112-119). Another good example but with a much more crowded field was in the Bortz Collection, see Sotheby's London 29 May 1998, lot 21. For a discussion of four late eighteenth and early 19th century contrasting appearances of the harshang design please see Bensoussan, Pamela: "Four Harshang Pattern Carpets in the Museée des Arts Decoratifs", Hali, vol.3, no.3, pp.207-209).

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