ENGLAND, CIRCA 1770

The Moorfields carpet factory, founded by Thomas Moore in London in 1752 was one of the leading English carpet manufactories of the second half of the 18th century. Other entrepreneurs who founded workshops during this period are Paul Parisot in London and later Exeter, Claude Passavant in Exeter and Thomas Whitty in Axminster, with Moorfields and Axminster producing the majority of carpets. Moore’s success as a carpet producer was in large part due to his close relationship with Robert Adam, the pre-eminent neo-classical architect and designer of the 18th century, who hired him for important commissions and often even provided models for carpet designs. This relationship produced some of the most notable carpets of the period, including carpets for Syon House and Osterley Park.

The current carpet shares similar attributes to another Moorfields carpets sold at Christie’s London, 19 November 2015, lot 699.