TARIM BASIN, EAST TURKESTAN, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Details

A KHOTAN RUG
TARIM BASIN, EAST TURKESTAN, EARLY 19TH CENTURY
Touches of light wear and minor spots of associated repiling, selvages partially rebound, minor loss at one end, overall good condition.
5ft.1in. x 3ft.6in. (155cm. x 106cm.)

Literature

M. Volkmann, Alte Orientteppiche, Munich, 1985, pp.248-9, pl.109

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction. This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.

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Lot Essay

While some agree that the origin of the design of individual chrysanthemum flowers stems from early 7th-9th century Chinese silk textiles, Hans Bidder was of the opinion that the design draws close parallels with the coffered-guls of the Turkman tribes who carried the design west where it was later used in the south western Caucasus by the Tatar Kazaks. (H.Bidder, Carpets from Eastern Turkestan, Tübingen, 1964, pp.61-64). At one end of the field the weaver of the present lot appears unsure of the design, as a minor secondary flower head has been introduced along a single row. A similar rug but with more elongated proportions, displaying the same field and border design was acquired in 1883 by the Victoria and Albert Musuem, London, (Ulrich Schürmann, Central Asian Rugs, Frankfurt, 1969, p.169, pl.95). A further closely related example, but with a stylised flowering meandering vine border, is published by Moshe Tabibnia, Intrecci Cinesi, Milan, 2011, pp.190-1, pl.40.

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