Lot Essay
The field design on this carpet is one that is found on Chinese carpets from an early date. One magnificent example is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, no.199, p.338 and fig.268 pp.164-5). The colouring of the present rug is however typically East Turkestan; a wool example with very comparable field design is published by Herrmann (Eberhart: Seltene Orientteppiche IV, Munich, 1982, no.98, pp.258-9).