WEST ANATOLIA, MID 18TH CENTURY

Persian carpets that copy earlier Safavid designs from various weaving centers are relatively well known. The migration of design from 17th century south east, to 18th century north west Persia in particular is well-attested. A colourful 18th century, north west Persian carpet, originally purchased by Frederik Martin in the 1890's and which later passed through the hands of Carl Robert Lamm of Näsby Castle to the Swedish collector, Rolf Schmitz, is a perfect example of the Isfahan 'Palmette and Cloud band' prototype, rewoven in the north of the country over a century later (see Christie's London, 5 April 2011, lot 104).

It is more unusual however, to find the same Isfahan design woven in western Anatolia during the same period. Later period west Anatolian ‘floral Ushak’ carpets, often known as ‘Smyrna’ carpets because they were marketed and exported through the port of Izmir (formerly Smyrna), were woven in imitation of Iranian carpet patterns, with naturalistic flower and leaf motifs, together with other influences of Ottoman court carpets carried over into their designs. The unusual shaded sea-green field of the present carpet, filled with palmettes, cloud bands and leafy vine is comparable to a carpet formerly in the Süleymaniye Mosque, now in the Vakiflar museum, Istanbul ('Continuity and Change', Serpil Özçelikhali, HALI, Issue 168, p.95, fig.11). Both carpets display the same field and border design but the Vakiflar carpet is smaller and less well preserved than the present carpet.