KARABAGH REGION, AZERBAIJAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

The field of the present lot displays a polychromatic mina khani design. This relies on formal rows of petalled blossoms of alternating type and colour, linked with a trellis vine. It was most commonly associated with Kurdish weavers, and used extensively at least from the late 18th century. Like the herati pattern, the mina khani design was adopted by a multitude of peoples, including different Turkoman tribes and the Baluch, and was used prolifically in the urban production of Veramin in Iran from the late 19th century. It is probable that this repeating floral pattern, as with others such as the Harshang or Afshan designs, stems from a once more complex Persian Safavid design, such as the 'in and out' palmette carpets of Isfahan. A kelleh with the same field and border design but with the inclusion of a lobed ivory medallion which was formerly in the Stern family collection, sold Christie's Paris, 12 December 2005, lot 441. For a comparable example with an azure-blue border see, John Eskenazi, L'Arte del Tappeto Orientale, Milan 1983, no. 96 and for further discussion on this group and the mina khani design see Hadi Maktabi, (The Persian Carpet, The Forgotten Years, 1722-1872, Verona, 2019, pp.118-129).