CENTRAL PERSIA, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY

Details

AN ISFAHAN CARPET
CENTRAL PERSIA, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY
The burgundy field with a counterposed design of spiralling tendrils issuing palmettes, flowerheads, floral sprays, serrated leaves and stylised cloudbands, in a sea-green border of alternately facing palmettes linked by scrolling tendrils and palmette vine between ivory and light blue and burgundy floral meander stripes, some areas of wear, damages, particularly at each end, faded colours, a few old repairs
13ft.9in. x 5ft.9in. (418cm. x 174cm.)

Provenance

Wildenstein family Collection
Akram Ojjeh, sold Sotheby's Monaco, 25th June 1979, lot 94

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 is a classic example of the Isfahan "red ground in and out palmette" design. The spiralling tendrils are well formed, and there is very little repiling. For a brief account of these carpets covering the arguments as to their origins please see the foreword to the Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets sold in these Rooms, 14th Febraury 1996, pp.15-16. Their popularity was enormous both at the time of manufacture and at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries when families like the Rothchilds were buying them up. Three examples formerly in the Rothschild Collection were sold in these Rooms, 16 October 1996, lots 404, 405 and 407.

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