NORTH WEST PERSIA, CIRCA 1920

This carpet takes its design from the group of so-called 'Portuguese' carpets, woven in Isfahan and Meshed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Safavid examples are much longer in proportion and are centralised with a design of radiating polychrome concentric lozenges. They take their name from the groups of European sailors depicted at either end of the field (Alberto Boralevi, "A View from the Summit: the Wher Collection", HALI, Issue 180 (2014), p.75). At least twelve Safavid examples are known, and of these our carpet is most closely related to that in the MAK in Vienna (acc.no. T 8339/1922 KB), but which does not include the figurative spandrels. For more information on the PETAG company, see lot 156 in the present sale.