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 18/9/2018
A very pretty 19th century Caucasian rug with a rare green ground and a quirky design entirely drawn from the weaver's memory. The main border, variously known as "running dog" or "white eagle", is unique to Seychour rugs. Woven on a wool foundation the rug had good age, cotton replacing all these rugs around the turn of the century.
Areas of restoration along upper short end and borders, also very slight loss at lower short end, generally in fairly good condition for its age. It would make a beautiful wall hanging which is the way Caucasian rugs were always displayed locally.
For reference, see Ian Bennett, Caucasian Rugs, Pl 386
€2600
A very attractive, fresh and characterful rug with many touches of freestyle work where the weaver follows her memory rather than work from a sterile cartoon. Good natural colours in a light palette, unusual for Hamadans, in very good condition with its original ends and sides intact, full thick pile, only one minute spot of re-piling in the field.
A similar rug was published by Tad Runge, Maine, One Woman One Weft, Pl. 16
€1900
Yatak rugs were originally woven for home use by villagers and tribal people as special sleeping rugs with thick, high quality wool pile and coarse weave. The quirky and very powerful design is clearly spontaneously woven into the rug as the weaver saw fit, real "freestyle" as I call them, definitely a one of a kind piece representing a long lost tradition.
There are a number of old, small and professionally performed restorations, almost invisible to the eye, otherwise the rug is in excellent condition. Wonderful, all natural colours and superb quality lanolin rich wool. A real collector's rug at a modest price.
€2600
This design on a genuine tribal rug is only known from Fars with a number of documented pieces woven by the Quashq'ai and the Khamseh tribes. We believe they were designed for special audience or hospitality occasions where important individuals are seated around the border probably enjoying food or tea served on tablecloths in the centre. The rugs would only be used for this purpose, placed back into storage and moth proofed after each occaision, never to be used on the floor until they eventually, generations later, were traded and exported to the West.
This is a superb example of great proportions, finely knotted and beautifully woven, with perfect natural colours in the traditional Khamseh apricots, reds and deep navy. Apart from a tiny, old repair in the centre in excellent condition, possibly having lost a few knot rows at the lower short end, otherwise flawless.
A similar example from the Zidell Sedlin collection was offered at SNY in March 2009, # 40.
€6800
Suzani tapestries were important dowry textiles woven primarily in Uzbecistan. Finely embroidered in naturally dyed silk over a long period of time their main purpose was to serve as the bridal bedspread during the wedding festivities. Thereafter it was safely put away and perhaps only displayed annually.
This exceptionally finely woven piece shares many design elements with the most desirable Shakrisyabz examples. In excellent condition with only minute spots of wear and breaks in the backing cloth, original silk ikat bindings and backing. A wonderful wall tapestry that can be displayed horizontally or vertically.
€9400
These powerful kilims were woven over a large area generically known as Azerbaijan, probably by semi-nomadic Shah Savan tribespeople. Some have borders all around and others, like this example, simply feature broad, horizontal bands with powerful rams' horn motifs. The brilliant, natural colours combined with open spaces and bold motifs create a stunning effect, unlike almost any other Oriental textiles.
Most of these kilims were displayed on walls as the main feature in the home - this piece still has its original hanging loops along one long side. In perfect condition apart from a tiny spot of restoration in the centre.
€2900
The Bakthiar group covers numerous village and small town areas inhabited by settled Bakthiari tribespeople. A wide range of designs are known, including the tree design seen here known as Bid Majnum (weeping willow). A lovely piece with great colours and a spontaneously drawn design, particularly noticeable in the beautiful border. In very good condition apart from a few small spots of slight wear and slightly reduced short ends.
€SOLD
The distinctive rugs from Tafresh are easily recognised by their floral designs based around a 16-foil medallion, as well as by the finer quality than most other rugs from Hamadan. The colour palette of Tafresh rugs also differ from any other Hamadan villages with ample use of yellows, creams and pinks.
This finely woven example is in untouched, perfect condition throughout, full pile and original finishes. A great, decorative rug that will serve for several generations to come.
€2400
The distinctive Kelardasht rugs from this period usually feature a single row of "Memling" guls on red ground. Like most Kurdish weavings they are woven on brown wool warp in fairly coarse weave but originally with thick pile, reflecting the beautiful natural colours like Caucasian Kazaks, a group with which they are often confused.
This example is unusually wide with generous border and open spaces, in very good condition showing only very slight spot wear. Original ends and sides intact, no repairs worth noting.
€4600
This remarkably well kept runner is not only highly decorative with its crisp drawing and wonderful natural colours - it is also an evocative, charming piece when you take a closer look at it. The two short end borders, especially the lower one, reveal human figures - men and women - dressed differently and with individual features. It's quite likely this was either an important family gift, or part of dowry, also explaining its superb condition with full pile and no repairs. There are 1-2 knot rows missing all around but the ends and side cords have been professionally stopped and overcast. A lovely, rare thing that would brighten up any space in a home.
€3600
Originally sold in our showrooms in 1999, this stunning rug was always a favourite, both from a quality and decorative viewpoint. The gracefully drawn design has many curious features such as the "vac-vac" (talking tree) motif hanging from the top of the arch, and the families of cockerel, hen and chicks at the base. The soft, pale blue colour is very rare and highly sought after, contrasting beautifully with the deeper border colours - a masterpiece of Persian rug design and understanding of harmonising colours.
Having spent much of its time on the wall the rug is in excellent condition for its considerable age, complete with original ends and sides, free of repairs apart from some minute spots of side cord binding.
€6500
I always knew that DOBAG rugs were hugely superior to anything else woven in Turkey, if not the Orient, today. The thoroughly researched natural dyes, the hand spun winter wool and the exceptional quality of weaving has now proved to be outstanding. This rug has been in constant use for almost 30 years and now, after a good cleaning, it has acquired a patina and glow reminiscent of antique Caucasian rugs. If the next caretaker looks after it well, it will survive for generations to come, and look better as it gets older. Signed S.Y. by the weaver.
€1900
The Quashq'ai are a Turkic tribe originally inhabiting Azerbaijan in north-west Persia, gradually moving southwards over the centuries to their current homeland of Fars. Very few migrating nomadic Quashq'ai still maintain a nomadic lifestyle, the vast majority having settled over a century ago around the city of Shiraz.
The 19th Century weavings produced by the tribe prior to settling down were of outstanding quality and artistic merit, undoubtedly the finest of all Persian tribal rugs. This is a genuine example from that time, exquisitely drawn from the weaver's memory, worked "freestyle", i.e. without any pre-drawn design charts, the result being a unique rug filled with her own quirky, charming details. Only natural dyes were used, impervious to light and water, meaning the rug won't lose its colour, nor run if exposed to water.
The rug is in superb, original condition throughout, complete with ends and side cords, in full pile and free of repairs. A rare and very beautiful collector's rug that ideally should be displayed on a wall as a true work of rug art.
€7300
A highly decorative 30 year old DOBAG rug of a very useful, and rare, size. The design is highly reminiscent of Turkoman "Bokhara" carpets, yet this style of Anatolian weaving was known from the 16th C. The painter Hans Holbein so often used these rugs in his work that the local DOBAG weavers came to know it as "Holbein".
The rug has been lovingly cared for by its first owners, hence its near perfect condition, with the added glow and patination that good DOBAGs acquire with age. Signed S.C.K.
€3500
A very attractive, evocative piece with superb natural colours and spontaneous design, both the hallmarks of good 19th Caucasian village rugs. The weaver has worked entirely from memory, placing the motifs as she saw fit, playing with colour combinations in a way you never come across in later commercial Oriental rugs. Note also the single male with his goat - perhaps this was woven as a gift for an important individual, clearly not woven just for commerce or barter.
The brown wool warp might suggest the weaver was Kurdish - pockets of Kurdish villages exist almost throughout this region - adding to its unique attraction.
Having been owned by a continental family with a strong interest in Oriental rugs, this piece has been very well looked after - apart from the rebound side cords and two minute corner repairs the rug is in very good condition throughout. Reference literature can be supplied by request.
€SOLD
Poushti is a small size rug (meaning cushion) generally used for temporary seating while entertaining guests or dignitaries. In Iran they were never used as floor mats, rather kept in storage or on walls while not in use. This explains why you sometimes come across these little jewels in pristine condition despite over 100 years of age. This finely woven, elegantly drawn Sarouk has superb quality wool and excellent natural colours, free of repairs or alterations. A beautiful gem of a piece of highly decorative merit, for wall or floor.
€1200
Good antique Caucasian rugs are highly collectible and decorative, fitting into both classical and contemporary settings. Good examples with only natural dyes, in original condition, are rare and command respectable prices world wide. This charming example is woven on wool and goats' hair warp unlike later pieces woven on cotton. Having been displayed on the wall for generations, the rug is in near perfect condition apart from a couple of minute corner repairs. It was part of a large continental family collection who treated their rug collection as important works of art.
Several comparable reference pieces are published in rug literature such as Schurrman, Caucasian Rugs, Pl 103, and Benardout, Caucasian Rugs, Pl. 39.
€2800
A striking, charming and impressive runner woven by a gifted weaver whose mother Cennet was a leading force in the DOBAG project at the time. Playful and quirky, the runner features a large number of typical village life motifs such as houses, animals, butterflies, hearts (for weddings) and much more. Signed H.D. and dated 97.
In its first 21 years the runner had suffered slight moth damage, now completely restored and, following a thorough wash, the piece looks even better than new with its glowing colours and wool patina. A great piece, very hard to replace as the DOBAG project now has come to a virtual end.
€2300
An early example of the popular Bakthiari design known locally as "keshti" (lit. checkered) and in the rug trade as garden design. The charming, spontaneous drawing reflects the weaver's imagination, picking different garden motifs for each square, all haphazardly arranged. The natural colours have softened beautifully over the years, the rug now alive with decorative character and atmosphere.
Finely knotted, the rug has very slight but even, overall wear, free of repairs and with its ends and sides intact. The three outer guards are drawn in the sequence and colour of the Persian/Iranian flag, a rare feature I have not come across before.
€3800
A beautiful antique carpet featuring the original Tekke gul design later known as "Bokhara" after the town where the nomads traded their weavings. Original examples made before the Russian Revolution are now rare and much sought after as decorative furnishing carpets as well as collector's items.
This carpet features all the qualities of early, non commercial pieces - exceptional silky wool pile knotted at around 170/sq inch, natural dyes and virtually repair free. The original end kilims have been lost, otherwise the carpet is in exceptionally good condition. A rare and beautiful piece that blends in equally well in classical and contemporary settings. This photograph does not do it justice and better images will be posted shortly.
€6700
An excellent quality DOBAG runner from the number one weaving village in the DOBAG project at its peak. Its founder Dr Harald Bohmer passed away earlier this year and he left an important legacy behind, the DOBAG project now recognised world wide as an important piece of carpet history. This charming runner is dated and signed, featuring Dr Bohmer's favourite DOBAG colour combination. A collector's piece today, set to last for several generations of hard use on the floor.
€SOLD
Few Persian tribes rivalled the powerful Quashq'ai in terms of fineness of weave, choice and quality of colours and also refinement of design. This piece is highly characteristic of their late 19th C work, with a knot count of almost 160/sq inch which gives it a wonderful, supple handle. The range of colours is astonishing for such a small weaving but this type of bag was often woven as an important part of dowry, aiming for the highest quality.
In very good condition with only a tiny amount of repiling, mainly the one ivory line at the lower end. A beautiful thing at a bargain price in today's international rug market.
€750
This is one half of what once was a large double bag (khorjin), basically intended for storage of blankets and utensils but more often woven with exceptional care as part of dowry or important gifts. Knotted at around 135 knots pr square inch, with inlaid details in rare colours like yellow and green, the weaver clearly set out to create something special. Its perfect condition confirms that it was never used for travel or storage, rather kept as an important piece of dowry. For the past decades it has been displayed as a work of art on the wall.
For similar examples, see J. Boucher, Baluchi Woven Treasures, Plates 34 & 35. Please note the two grey circle forms are mere light reflections during photography.
€SOLD
This example is one of the best DOBAG prayer rugs we sold during our 30 years in the Blackrock gallery. Having enjoyed love and care by its previous owner, the rug has come back to us in perfect condition, further enhanced by a proper cleaning. No other newly made Oriental rugs respond better than DOBAGs to full wash treatment, yielding a rich glow and sheen you only find in the best antique village rugs. DOBAG is now all but gone and hence the best of the early, inspired examples if kept in good condition are becoming desirable among collectors world wide. The weaver has signed the rug U.Y. and also dated it 2002.
€SOLD
This beautiful, almost 20 year old DOBAG features a design known as "turnali" (with cranes) after the diagonal chevrons resembling birds in flight. The Metropolitan Museum in New York has an 18th C version of this design woven in nearby Canakale and it can also be found in a 15th C rug painting by Ghirlandaio in the Uffizi, Florence.
In perfect condition throughout showing no wear or loss at ends or sides, the rug has just undergone professional cleaning, bringing a wonderful sheen to the wool and lifting the natural colours to another dimension.
€SOLD
