Two border fragments from this carpet have been sold in these Rooms, The Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets, 14 February 1996, lot 44; and 24 April 1997, lot 426. A further fragment from the same border together with a fragment from the field similar but smaller to that offered here are in the Keir Collection (Robinson, B. W. et. al.: Islamic Art in the Keir Collection, London, 1988, ill.T32, p.84). Other fragments are in private collections in America and Europe.
The carpet from which this panel comes fits into the group described as Mughal animal carpets. During the 17th century with the influence of the Safavid animal and hunting carpets a style of carpet containing animals, scrolling vine and palmettes developed in India. There are two well known magnificent complete examples from the same group of Indian carpets with this combination of naturalistic plants, leaping animals and the symmetry in the field design: The Sackville carpet (Franses, M. and Shaffer, D.: 'An Early Indian Carpet', HALI 28, 1985, pp.33-39); and the Widener Carpet now in the National Gallery, Washington, D.C. (Dilley, A.U. and Dimand, M.S.: Oriental Rugs and Carpets, New York, 1959, pl.XXXV). This fragment can also be compared to a fragment from the Textile Museum, Washington D.C., recently displayed in New York (Walker, Daniel: Flowers Underfoot, Indian Carpets of the Mughal Era, New York, 1997, p.50, fig 41). A further related example of an Indian Animal Carpet was offered at one of the Benguiat sales, American Art Association, New York, 23 April 1932, Lot 25.