In this category I list recently acquired pieces of all groups and sizes for a duration of maximum 4 months after arrival, thereafter they appear in their respective sections. More images of any lot available on request. Updated 8/12/2019.
A beautiful tribal rug from a time when the Quashq'ai nomads were gradually abandoning their ancient nomadic lifestyle in favour of becoming sedentary villagers, perhaps only taking small migratings during the hottest season. The earliest examples were often masterpieces of tribal art, now fetching huge prices at international auctions, whereas a piece of this vintage and background is still highly affordable.
The rug has clearly been cherished by its previous owners, kept in superb condition with original kilims and side cords still intact, in near full pile throughout and a gorgeous, supple handle.
€4800
I have a vivid recollection of buying this rug. The weaver Gulseren Kus was half way through the rug on her loom which was located on the first floor, her cow and a few sheep living downstairs. One look at the quality of weave and above all the inspired play with colours as seen in the borders and secondary field motifs, made the decision easy. This is what the earlier DOBAG pieces were about, later examples often being more planned and sterile.
Now 20 years old, having been carefully minded by its first owners, it has acquired a sheen and softness of the colours that only time, and gentle use, can bring about. Signed G.K. A real collector's piece and fit for at least another generation of floor wear.
€3200
I began buying rugs from the DOBAG project in 1989 and this piece was the first runner found in the Yunt Dag co-op. Thirty years later it has found its way back to me, having been carefully minded by its first owners, hence its condition is absolutely perfect throughout. Full pile, original sides and kilims ends, the only thing that is missing is the leather label but the original certificate is still there.
Well drawn, decorative and ready for at least another 30 years on the floor, signed H.D. and dated 89.
€2300
A nice example of the early rug production in Abadeh where local weavers took their inspiration from tribal rugs woven by the Quashq'ai who regularly bartered their wares in the bazaar. Two designs became the Abadeh favourites, one of repeated vases known as Zil-i-Soltan and the other seen here featuring a classical Quashq'ai 1 + 4 medallion design.
Tightly woven, good natural colours, very slight but even wear, complete at ends and sides and free of repairs. A rare and much sought after middle size, slightly larger than regular dozar pieces from Persia. A very appealing rug.
€SOLD
A very beautiful and hugely decorative Heriz carpet featuring a range of warm and light natural colours, giving the carpet a very "happy" feel. In exceptional condition with near full pile throughout, original side cords and end finishes intact, free of repairs or alterations. A much sought after style of carpet suitable for any location and setting, at good value given its popularity. More pics available on request.
€7500
A finely woven rug with a design and colouring often found in the Saveh region of Hamadan. The Maine rug dealer Tad Runge in his work One Woman One Weft illustrates several pieces of similar appearance and technical specifications - plates 31-35.
Good natural colours, in full pile throughout, original sides and ends present, only a couple of minute spot repairs, this rug has been well looked after by previous caretakers including wall display for the last 11 years. A decorative, attractive and inexpensive village rug from a region where nothing of note or quality has been woven for many decades.
€1850
An exceptionally decorative, and early, example of the renowned village rugs from Heriz. Woven in the late 19th C it follows a design plan in the weaver's head but the quirky, open border tells you the weaver was working entirely from memory. She also had a clear understanding of colour harmony and the virtue of leaving a lot of plain, open spaces.
In very good condition, complete with its original kilim ends and side cords intact, showing only very slight spots of surface wear in places in the field. The original export label (in German) is also present. The only marginal issue is a very minor shape problem, barely visible and most probably fixable by stretching. A beauty to behold on a nice hallway floor.
€3800
Few early 20th century Teherans surface in the international trade, never having been made in large numbers and usually bought up by wealthy buyers from the city. Similar to Kashans and Sarouks, Teherans usually feature a lovely pale sky blue colour, together with a warm apricot yellow and reds dyed from cochineal as well as madder.
This very pretty, finely woven rug with a knot count of 320/sq inch features a high quality lambs' (kurk) wool with a sheen often mistaken for silk. In excellent condition throughout, repair free, ready to go either as a beautiful wall hanging or on the floor in elegant surroundings.
€1950
Karadja had a substantial village rug output between 1890-1940, much of the weaving taking place in the weavers' homes but there was also more organised work shops where larger carpets were produced. They are easily recognised by their format (often squarish), use of blue cotton wefts and the peachy shade of red.
This is a turn of the century example, still employing only natural dyes and woven without a rigid chart, allowing the weaver to experiment and improvise. One knot row at lower end and 3 rows at the top are missing, now all secured, a few spots of very slight surface wear but overall in very nice condition, clean and ready to go.
€SOLD
These elegant, linear kilims were woven an several areas of the Caucasus and also, similar, in parts of north Persian Azerbaijan province. They were usually woven for dowry but also had a functional use as decorative wall hangings with the added benefit as insulation. Usually the wedded couple would receive many more such weavings than they could use, hence they were stored away as future heirlooms and only sold maybe two generations later.
An impressive Bordjalou Kazak with a powerful and decorative presence, great natural colours and a very rare size to find in any Antique Oriental rug.
The simplicity of design would work equally well in traditional as well as contemporary settings with big, chunky seating etc. It would also be a knockout on a large, plain wall in need of a strong statement of colour and bold design.
In excellent condition apart from a few minor, old repairs to the lower kilim end, plus some small spots of professionally performed re-piling. The upper short end has been rewoven by two knot rows - none of the above mentioned noticeable to the untrained eye. Note the quirky goat in the upper border.
€8200
This runner, the last of the three acquisitions from the private Boehmer collection, features an unusual design which the weavers called "yeni desin" (new design. The diagonal grid of hexagons enclose a flower head reminiscent of the Persian "mina khani", inside two traditional borders.
This one has never seen the light of day since 2001, hence its colours are as they were when the rug was cut down from the loom.
The colours will improve and mellow significantly with age, and plenty of use, gradually to acquire the glow and lustre of older DOBAGs. Signed G.C., Y for Yunt Dag, dated 2001.
€SOLD
This nice little rug was one of three most recent acquisitions from the family of Dr Harald Boehmer, founder of the DOBAG project. After the purchase of almost his entire DOBAG collection late last year the family decided to part with the final couple of pieces, all accompanied by signed provenance declarations, unused and in perfect condition.
This little rug has a nice composition of a single "oklu" arrow medallion with a decorative border, signed F.S. She clearly had a little difficulty with the date but it does read 2001..
€SOLD
A beautifully designed piece woven "freestyle" at a time when the once nomadic Quashq'ai had begun to settle into village life. The field is gracefully outlined, containing a myriad of flowers and vines, all part of an obscure Tree-of-Life idea.
Well woven with thick, hard wearing pile, good non-fugitive natural dyes, free of repairs, original sides intact. All that's missing are the narrow kilim finishes at both ends. A good, hard wearing rug set to last for generations to come.
€SOLD
Silk Ikat tie-dyed fabrics were the most prestigious textiles (together with Suzanis) in 19th century Uzbec society. The quality of your Ikat reflected your standing in the community, the fabrics used both for robes, gowns and decorative wall hangings.
This sumptuous piece was woven in 5 widths of a total of 10 ikat panels joined together, each panel made up of finely woven pre-dyed sections. They make powerful, individually unique wall hangings, ideal in settings requiring evocative, decorative and colourful statements. In excellent condition with its original Russian printed backing fabric intact.
€SOLD
In the West, early Tekke "Bokhara" carpets have always been among the most desirable and expensive floor coverings. Delicate in design, never crowded, dyed in warm, pleasant shades of red, they have remained in demand as prime furnishing carpets and collector's items, independent of fashion.
This is one of the best examples we have ever had, extremely finely knotted in superb, silky quality wool. The composition of four by ten "Guls" was the classical, best balanced feature of early examples, framed by wonderful borders of spontaneously composed motifs.
There are two minor, adjacent reweaves along the right border halfway up the field, otherwise the carpet is in very good condition with only very slight, even spot wear and complete with its original kilim ends. A rare, great carpet for the discerning collector.
Ref: W. Loges, Turkoman Tribal Rugs, pl 2
€11750
An unusual and beautifully drawn Kashan rug, probably the work of the master designer Dabir. Finely knotted at around 255/sq inch the rug is quality through and through - great natural colours, good wool, a slightly larger than usual size for Kashans and a unique design I haven't come across before.
In excellent condition throughout with original ends and sides, no repairs other than a minute spot where a small stain required re-piling. A highly decorative and collectible rug from one of the most foremost Persian weaving towns of that time.
€SOLD
A beautiful, characterful rug woven by a village weaver entirely from memory, ie no other identical rug exists - in stark contrast to later Russian factory mass produce where so-called Caucasian rugs with precise, sterile designs and poor dyes were churned out in large numbers. Filled with quirky motifs the rug depicts the weaver's artistic interpretation of village life, much of it probably passed on for generations.
All natural dyes, good wool, in very good condition with only minor restoration such as a correction weave at the top short end and two small reweaves in the lower field end. Note the intriguing five panels at the lower end, pictures of other rugs perhaps? Rugs like this are actively collected by a world wide audience of rug enthusiasts.
€5200
I have just purchased my final 3 pieces of DOBAGs from the family of the late Dr Harald Boehmer, founder of the DOBAG project begun in 1981, This is the oldest example I have seen in a while, woven outside the town of Ayvacik where the first looms were located.
At this time the weavers rarely signed their pieces and the documentation is sparse - yet the elaborate knotted "logo" in the upper kilim is that of Ayvacik and I also have signed declarations of provenance from the family. A beautiful rug, kept in storage since it was made, now washed and glowing like a jewel, in perfect and original condition.
€SOLD
A highly decorative, charming and jolly runner featuring some quirky content such as various paired birds in the field with two peacocks near the top end. The piece has good natural dyes, good wool, original sides and ends and no restoration, only two areas with even wear resulting in low pile. In most areas it's in full pile, ready to serve for yet another generation at least.
€2900
Ex the private collection of Dr Harald Boehmer, founder of the renowned DOBAG project in western Turkey. HIs interest in starting the project came from years of collecting early Oriental rugs with beautiful natural colours, this piece probably one of his early acquisitions. A truly genuine, rugged and quirky nomadic rug with wonderful natural colours obtained locally including the imported cochineal red and indigo blue which the nomads obtained in local markets.
In very good, original condition throughout only the sidecords have been replaced, otherwise free of repairs, wear or alterations as could be expected from this fantastic man who kept most of his rug collection in safe storage. Illustrated in his work on Anatolian dyes Koekboya, Pl. 33.
€SOLD
A wonderful carpet with a beautifully drawn all-over design and a clever use of excellent natural colours. Technically with a knot count of 210/sq inch, and in every other way, this piece is at the top of the scale for this group of much sought after furnishing carpets.
In excellent condition throughout with near full pile in most areas, original side cord and no loss at the short ends. There may be a couple of minute spots of surface wear but on the whole, this is a gem!
€8500
A very pretty, delicately drawn Suzani, finely embroidered in silk in a variety of local stitches such as Bokhara couching and open/double chain stitches, all performed by hand and not using a tambur needle. It has recently been cleaned, relined and had some minor spots of wear along the outer borders expertly restored.
Suzanis are now firmly established in the world of serious textile collecting and decoration with several important private collections having surfaced in recent years. Its original function was to serve as part of dowry, the more common larger sizes laid out as bridal bed spreads and the rarer, smaller pieces like this intended to decorate the children's beds, only for the duration of the wedding celebrations. They make stunningly beautiful wall hangings.
€2900
A very decorative Karadja with the traditional shield medallion design, here drawn "freestyle" as against following a rigid cartoon as became the norm in later examples. Each medallion has different (natural) colour combinations, the entire piece displaying charm and spontaneity.
The piece is complete with original kilim ends, side cords and near full pile throughout, the only repairs found at one short end where a small amount of old moth nibbles have been repiled. A handsome runner of a very useful size, in good condition.
€SOLD
Suzanis were the work of Uzbec village women in preparation for marriage. The quality of the Suzani gave an indication of the bride's artistic merit and commercial worthiness in future married life. It was displayed during the week long wedding celebrations and thereafter stored away, perhaps only to be displayed at anniversaries.
This rare and beautiful Suzani displays a dazzling and luxuriant grid of flowering plants enclosed in a diagonal diamond grid of what looks like twigs. None of the various flower arrangements are the same, only similar, showing a highly creative mind on part of the designer/weaver.
This early piece belongs to a rare group of only a few documented examples, the most striking one sold at auction in Germany in 2015 for € 19000 plus fees (Rippon Boswell, Vok Collection, Pl 68). This piece is in very good condition for its considerable age, showing only minor spots of wear along the top end border plus some visible threads on the back lining.
€SOLD
