BAKHTIARI RUNNER, SERAPI RUG, TURKMAN JUVAL, TABRIZ RUG, TURKISH GELIM, YURUK PRAYER RUG, TURKMAN SUSANI

A BAKHTIARI RUNNER, the walnut field with
three medallions and sprays of flowers, three
borders, 13/f. 2m. by 3ft. 8m. (401cm. by 112cm.),
circa 1920, condition: fair.

A SAROUGH RUG, the indigo field with a design
of flowerheads and arabesques, three borders,
Aft. 9in. by 3ft. 6m. (145cm. by 107cm.), modem,
condition: good.

A SERAPI RUG, the camel field with an indigo
medallion and flowerheads, three borders, 5ft. 8m.
by 3ft. 3m. (173cm. by 99cm.), circa 1930, condition:
fair.

A SERAPI RUG, the camel field with five medallions, three borders, 6ft. Sin. by 3ft. 9m. (203cm. by 114cm.), circa 1930, condition: fair.

A FINE ANTIQUE SENNEH SADDLE COVER, the plain indigo field with herati spandrels, a saffron boteh, vine and flowerhead border, pistachio guard stripes, 3ft. 5m. by 3ft. 2m.

(104cm. by 91cm.), circa 1850, condition: fair., slight wear.

A GHOM RUG, the saffron field with flower-heads and vases, a blue border of palmettes and flowerheads, single guard stripes, 6ft. 8m. by Aft. 6m. (203cm. by 131 cm.), modem,

condition: fair.

AN UNUSUAL TURKMAN JUVAL, the madder
field with four rows of four guis, diamond gui
skirts, 4/r. by 2ft. 6m. (122cm. by 76cm.), circa 1920,
condition : fair.

A PAIR OF KASHAN RUGS, the indigo field with
a madder pole medallion and spandrels, ail with
palmettes, curvilinear vines and leaves, a similar
madder border and triple guard stripes, Ift. lin. by
4ft. 8m. (216cm. by 142cm.), circa 1930, condition:
fair.
AN ESFAHAN RUG, the indigo field with a madder pole medallion and spandrels, ail with vines and flowerheads, a madder palmette and vine border, triple guard stripes, 7/t. 6m.

by 4ft. 5in. (229cm. by 135cm.), circa 1900, condition: fair.

A YURUK PRAYER RUG woven in two parts, the madder mehrab with walnut spandrels, ail with flowerheads, a green border with flowerheads and vines, triple guard stripes, 6ft. lin.

by 5ft. (185cm. by 152cm.), circa 1880, condition: fair., holed.

A TABRIZ RUG, the indigo field with an overall
design of botehs and flowerheads, an ivory flower-
head and vine border, triple guard stripes, 6ft. 2m.
by 4ft. 3m. (188cm. by 127cm.), circa 1920, condition:
fair., mothed.

A TURKISH GELIM, the ivory field with three
rectangular panels and bands of guis, 14 ft. 4in.
by 4ft. 10m. (437cm. by 147cm.), circa 1920, con-
dition: fair.

A TURKISH GELIM, woven in two parts, the
field with three medallions and an ivory border,
lift. 6m. by 5ft. 6in. (351cm. by 168cm.), circa 1930,
condition: fair.

A TURKMAN SUSANI, the field with five panels
of flowerheads, a narrow flowerhead border,
8/r. 8m. by 5ft. 6m. (264cm. by 168cm.), circa 1920,
condition :fair., colour run.

A BALUCHISTAN RUG, the camel field with hooked medallions and vines, a gui border, two inner and one outer guard stripes, 6ft. 2m. by 4ft. lin. (188cm. by 127cm.), modem,

condition: fair.

A KAZAKH RUG, the madder field with three medallions, an indigo tent border and reciprocal trefoil guard stripes, Ift. 10m. by 4ft. 8m. (239cm. by 142cm.), circa 1900,

condition: fair.

A TASHKENT SUSANI PANEL, the linen field
with six eclipsed medallions, a flowerhead border,
Ift. lOin. by 6ft. lin. (239cm. by 188cm.), circa 1900,
condition : fair., damaged.

A TURKISH GELIM woven in three parts, the
ivory field with three rows of guis, hooked gui
border, 13/r. 8m. by 5ft. 6m. (417cm. by 168cm.),
circa 1880, condition: fair.

A GHIORDES RUG, the madder field with
stylised flowers and leaves, green floral spandrels,
an indigo floral border, six inner and one outer
guard stripes, reduced in size, now 5ft. 6m. by
3ft. oin. (168cm. by 107cm.), 19th century, condition:
slight wear.

A BERGAMA RUG, the madder field with stylised flowerheads and ivory flowerhead spandrels, indigo and ivory borders with stylised flowerheads, triple guard stripes, 6ft. 9m. by

4ft. 8m. (206cm. by 142cm.), circa 1840, condition: fair., damaged.

AUBUSSON PASTORAL TAPESTRY, Louis XV AUBUSSON HUNTING TAPESTRY, Louis XIV GOBELINS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY, BRUSSELS ALLEGORICAL TAPESTRY

A FINE AUBUSSON PASTORAL TAPESTRY of The Fountain of Love, from the series
La Noble Pastorale, after Frangois Boucher, three pairs of figures grouped around a large
stone fountain, including two girls untying a billet-doux from the neck of a dove,
9ft. lOin. high by llft. 4in. (ЗООст. by 345cm.) mid-19th Century.
Copied from the series designed for the Beauvais factory and first woven in 1755. The present example is woven in reverse—see Boccara, Les Belles Heures de la Tapisserie, no. 198 for an original weaving
See Ananoff, L ‘Opera Completa di Boucher, plates XXXI & XXXIX, the latter in the Washington National Gallery of Art, for the group of the two girls with the dove.

A BRUSSELS MYTHOLOGICAL HUNTING TAPESTRY of Meleager and Atalanta
attributed to Marcus de Vos, in the background a water garden, in a good four-sided florai
border incorporating hunting trophies on a snuff coloured ground, 11 ft. 4in. high by
8ft. 2in. wide (345cm. by 250cm.) late 17th Century    ?3500-4500
Gobel— Tapestries of the Lowlands, no. 350 illustrates a similar tapestry in the same border by Marcus de Vos.

A Louis XV AUBUSSON HUNTING TAPESTRV, two youths on horseback ac-
companied by hounds followed by two others and a girl running after them, the four-sided
florai border in red and blue on a chestnut ground, 9ft. 2in. high by 9ft. 5in. zuide (280cm.
by 288cm.) mid-18th Century.

A BRUSSELS LANDSCAPE TAPESTRY, attributed to Franz Van den Hecke, in the
foreground a couple of staghounds chasing a hind and a heron rising in alarm, in a forest
landscape, with Corinthian side columns supporting a lintel with a central cartouche with
swags of fruit, 9ft. 4in. high by 12ft. wide (285cm. by 365cm.) circa 1630.
See Gobel, op. cit.} no. 177, for a tapestrv by Van den Hecke with a similar archi-tectural background.

A FINE FRANCO-FLEMISH VERDURE TAPESTRY of pristine colouring, the
foreground with clumps of wild flowers and a brace of geese, a fountain to the left and in
the background a stag and a hind, in a river landscape with distant buildings, 6ft. lOin.
high by llft. 4in. wide (210cm. by 345cm.) early 18th Century.

A Louis XIV GOBELINS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY from Ovid’s Metamorphoses
of Acis and Galatea, attributed to Jan Jans, in a four-sided frame pattern border, the sides
with palm trunks entwined with brightly coloured flowers, the top and bottom borders
with scrolling acanthus and fruit, lOft. 8in. high by 9ft. 5in. wide (325cm. by 285cm.) circa.

This and the following three Metamorphoses tapestries appear to belong to an earlier series than the set of thirteen tapestries from the same source described in Fenaille, Etat General des Tapisseries de la manufacture des Gobelins, Vol. III, although there are many similarities. The attribution to Jan Jans is supported by two panels of Acis and Galatea and a Bacchus and Ariadne tapestry at Burghley with the arms of the 5th Earl of Exeter listed in the 1688 inventory as the work of Jans
A smaller version of Acis and Galatea but woven in reverse is among a set of six at Schloss Bayreuth. Another also in reverse but otherwise corresponding to the present example was in the Collection of Mrs. Leslie Urquhart.

A Louis XIV GOBELINS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY from the same series of Pan
and Syrinx, attributed to Jan Jans, in a four-sided frame pattern border as before, lOft. 8in.
high by 6ft. 4in. wide (325cm. by 195cm.) circa 1700.
Another example of this composition i’s at Schloss Bayreuth and another was in the Collection of Mrs. Leslie Urquhart, both woven in reverse to the present tapestry.

A Louis XIV GOBELINS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY from the same series of
Bacchus and Ariadne, attributed to Jan Jans, in a four-sided frame pattern border as
before, lOft. 8in. high by 7ft. 2in. wide (325cm. by 220cm.) circa 1700.
Another example of this tapestry is at Burghley (see footnote to lot 12). Others, in reverse, are at Schloss Bayreuth and formerly in the Collection of Mrs. Leslie Urquhart.

A Louis XIV GOBELINS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY from the same series of
Venus and Adonis, attributed to Jan Jans, in a four-sided frame pattern border as before,
lOft. 8in. high by lOft. wide (325cm. by 305cm.) circa 1700.

LOUIS XIV GOBELINS TAPESTRY ENTRE-FENETRE depicting Мау, from the
series called Les Mois ou les Maisons Royales, after Charles Le Brun, with a distant view of
the Chateau de Saint-Germain, in the foreground the King and Queen on horseback
beyond a balustrade with a basket of flowers and an eagle, fianked by Ionic columns with
swags of flowers and florai side borders with interlaced L’s, woven with metai thread,
lOft. 6in. high by 8ft. 3in. wide (320cm. by 250cm.) circa 1680, some splits and repairs, top
border and bottom foreground rewoven.
Provenance: Collection Comte de Greffuhle
Literature: Fenaille—Etat General des Tapisseries de la Manufacture des Gobelins, Vol. II, p. 140. and plate facing p. 146 for a similar entre-fenetre.

A RARE BRUSSELS ALLEGORICAL TAPESTRY of the Theological and Cardinal Virtues, attributed to Martin Reymbouts, with a central figure of Faith in a temple, flanked from left to right by Justice, Prudence and Charity, Норе, Fortitude and Temperance, all on a dark blue ground surmounted by lunettes representing Night and Day and Time; the saffron field woven overall with ‘grotesques’ in an Elements border depicting Air, Earth and Water with allegorical figures at the corners, llft. 3in. high by 12ft. 9in. wide (345cm. by 390cm.) late 16th Century, with weaver’s mark on both side selvages.

NORTH GERMAN TAPESTRY CUSHION COVERS - FLEMISH BIBLICAL TAPESTRY - BRUSSELS TAPESTRY OF THE LAMENTATION - Louis XV FELLETIN VERDURE TAPESTRY PANEL

A PAIR OF NORTH GERMAN TAPESTRY CUSHION COVERS, one woven with John the
Baptist preaching in the Wilderness (Mark 1:4) the other with the Beheading (Mark 6:28)
surrounded by brightly coloured floral borders woven with roses, tulips and carnations on
a sable ground, each about 18in. by 20in. (46cm. by 51cm.) Hamburg, circa 1660, some
repairs, top corners.
Gobel, Wandteppiche, Part III, vol. II, no 99d illustrates a similar cushion.

Two VERDURE TAPESTRY CUSHION COVERS made from pieces of Flemish tapestry border, late 17th Century.

A CUSHION covered in Flemish verdure tapestry, Hin. by 18in.
and two other s covered in velvet with applique decoration, one with a coat of arms.

A NEEDLEWORK CUSHION COVER embroidered in gros point with flowers and brightly plumaged birds,
19in. square (48cm.) and a strip of Genoese red velvet applied with yellow silk arabesques, lin. wide by 60in.
long (18cm. by 152cm.) 17th Century.

A FLEMISH BIBLICAL TAPESTRY from The Story of Jacob, depicting Jacob taking
leave of Laban, in the background Jacob tending the flocks of his father-in-law, now in a
narrow frame pattern border, 6ft. Hin. high by 8ft. 4in. wide (210cm. by 255cm.) circa 1600,
some repairs.

A FLEMISH BIBLICAL TAPESTRY, possibly the Coronation of Solomon by Zadok
the Priest, the King kneeling before the altar on which rests the crown, mainly in shades
of blue and ivory, 6ft. 4in. high by 7ft. 8in. wide (195cm. by 265cm.) early 1 Ith Century,
part of a larger tapestry.

A FLEMISH TAPESTRY PANEL of a naval combat, from the background or border of a
larger tapestry, a panel below with tulips and arabesques, 3ft. high by lft. 8in. wide
(90cm. by 50cm.) late 16th Century.

A LARGE LEAVED VERDURE TAPESTRY with a fabulous bird attacking a ram and
other birds and creatures among the foliage, in a three-sided floral border, 9ft. Hin. high
by 6ft. lin. zvide (295cm. by 200cm.) Flemish provincial, early 1 Ith Century, extensive minor
repairs.
Gobel—Tapestries ofthe Lowlands, no. 474 illustrates a similar tapestry
Another similar panel was sold in these rooms, 28th April 1978.

A FLEMISH TAPESTRY FRAGMENT of a warrior in classical armour and wearing a
plumed helmet, watching a falcon in pursuit of its prey, background with stonemasons at
work, floral border top and bottom only, 9ft. 6in. high by 4ft. lOin. wide (290cm. by 148cm.)
first half 1 Ith Century, extensive minor repairs.

A FINE BRUSSELS TAPESTRY OF THE LAMENTATION, from the Passion of Christ, after Albrecht Durer, the garments woven partly in metal thread, the body of the Dead Christ surrounded by mourners including the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, St. Elizabeth, St. John and others, in the right background the figure of Christ in Glory appearing to Roman centurions, in narrow vine leaf border, 5ft. 8in. high by 5ft. 6in. wide (115cm. by 165cm.) circa 1540, reduced in size, border probably original but eut to fit.

AN ANTWERP CLASSICAL TAPESTRY, possibly from the Story of Zenobia and
Aurelian, the Queen riding sidesaddle fleeing from her pursuers, protected by a horseman
with a raised scimitar, the three-sided border with caryatid figures supporting children
blowing trumpets, the upper border with swags of fruit and flowers and military trophies,
lOft. high by 15ft. 2in. wide (305cm. by 465cm.) mid-17th Century, eut and joined down the
middle.

A BRUSSELS TAPESTRY BORDER woven with Neptune in his chariot drawn by
seahorses, surrounded by sporting mermen and mermaids and other aquatic creatures,
with narrow outer borders, 8ft. lin. long by lft. 7V2in. high (262cm. by 50cm.) mid-16th
Century.
From the lower border of a contemporary tapestry. Gobel, Tapes tries of the Lowlands, no. 273
illustrates a Noah tapestry in which the border depicts the Four Elements.

A FRANCO-FLEMISH TAPESTRY BORDER FRAGMENT woven with tulips and
summer flowers tied with blue ribbon, narrow yellow border stripes, 431Min. high by
1784 in. wide (110cm. by 44cm.) circa 1700, mounted on board.

A FLEMISH CLASSICAL TAPESTRY, probably depicting Hector’s farewell to
Andromache, mainly in shades of blue and yellow, in a good four-sided floral border,
9ft. 3in. high by 9ft. 7in. wide (280cm. by 290cm.) mid-17th Century.

A Louis XV FELLETIN VERDURE TAPESTRY PANEL woven with the Fable of the
Fox and the Stork after La Fontaine, the foreground with clumps of wild flowers, the
background with a distant chateau and a hilltop village, 7ft. 2in. high by 7ft. Win. wide
(220cm. by 240cm.) mid-18th Century, minor repairs.

A LATE Louis XV AUBUSSON GENRE TAPESTRY of La Diseuse de Bonne Aventure,
from the series Les Amusements de la Campagne, after Jean-Baptiste Huet, the gipsy
fortune teller and the shepherdess in the foreground, four sided frame pattern floral
border, 8ft. 2in. high by Wft. 9in. wide (250cm. by 330cm.) circa 1770, the remains of
Auousson tactory mark M.R.D.A.
Gobel— Wandteppiche, Part II, vol. ii, no. 287 illustrates this composition.

AN AUBUSSON PASTORAL TAPESTRY of a couple dancing in a landscape, frame
pattern border with crossed ribbons and trophies of flowers, 4ft. Hin. high by 6ft. 5in. wide
(150cm. by 195cm.) 19th Century.

HORSEMANSHIP. An Antwerp Tapestry, attributed to Michel Wauters, depict-
ing the exercise Terre a Terre contre muraille a main gauche, Captain Mazin on a
chestnut horse prancing towards the left, a view of Bolsover in the background, in the
upper border a bridle and spurs and the lower border with stirrups and a saddle between
swags of flowers, the sides with trophies of arms and armour with urns below, lift, high by
9ft. 8in. wide (335cm. by 298.5cm.) circa 1680, extensive minor repairs, especially to the
body of the horse.

A COMPOSITE PANEL of floral tapestry with a central vase of summer flowers below an allegorical figure in an arch, flanked by floral trophies containing oval landscape medallions, 5ft. Hin. by 5ft. 2in. (180cm. by 158cm.) mainly Flemish, late 17th Century.

A BRUSSELS TAPESTRY BORDER FRAGMENT of floral design, 7in. by 86in. long
(18cm. by 214cm.) and two small pieces of verdure tapestry, 8in. by 19in. (20cm. by 48cm.)
late 17th/early 18th Century.

A GOOD PARIS VERDURE TAPESTRY of a wooded river landscape, chiefly in shades
of green, the broad four-sided floral border centred by landscape medallions in ornamental
frames, the corners with trophies similarly enclosed, lift. 2in. high by 13ft. 9in. wide
(340cm. by 420cm.) circa 1640.

A TAPESTRY FRAGMENT of a bearded supplicant, in ermine-trimmed cloak, a hat in his left hand, 5ft. high by 2ft. lin. wide (152cm. by 63.5cm.) 19th Century, Flemish.

A Veramin Rug - Afshar Rug - Karajar Runner - A Kurdish Rug - A Ghashghai Rug - A Turkman Tekke Rug - A Kashan Rug

An unusual Afshar Rug, the ivory field decorated with stylized cypress trees, shrubs and flowerheads, the aubergine border with geometric flowerheads, single florai guard stripes.

A Veramin Rug, the beige field with six rows of three indigo florai medallions surrounded by flowerheads and vines, the beige border with flowerheads, enclosed by vines and leaves, single florai guard stripes.

A Ghom part silk Rug, the ivory field with а central pole medallion surrounded by palmettes, leaves, flowerheads, vines, animals and birds, the indigo border with palmettes flanked by serrated leaves and birds, one inner and two outer guard stripes.

A Ghom part silk Rug, the ivory field with an overall design of Trees of Life, surrounded by animals and shrubs, the green border with a similar design and with single florai guard stripes.

A Serapi Runner, the beige field with five medallions, an ivory florai border, single guard stripes.

A Tabriz Benlian Rug, the ivory fieldwith a central flowering tree with a cypress tree at each end, and surrounded by palmettes, flowers and wild animals in combat, the pale indigo border with palmettes and vines, flanked by exotic birds, single rose florai guard stripes, with a star signature panei in one corner.

A Karajar Runner, the madder field with seven floral medallions and half medallions, all in shades of pale indigo, ivory, pale green and saffron, an ivory florai border, twin guard stripes.

An Esfahan Rug, the pale indigo field with а design of palmettes, flowerheads, arabesques and vines, a madder palmette and flowerhead border, twin guard stripes.

A Tabriz Rug, the indigo field with an oval floral medallion surrounded by sprays of flowers, green florai spandrels, three borders incorporating florai cartouches.

A Sarough Rug, the camel field with an indigo pole medallion containing stylized palmettes and flowerheads, the rose spandrels with large green leaves and flowers, with aoverall design of flowerheads, vines and palmettes, the indigo border with palmettes and flowers, two inner and one outer guard stripes.

A Karajar Runner, the ivory field with rows of botehs, in shades of indigo and madder, a madder gul and vine border, twin guard stripes, reduced in length.

An Esfahan Rug, the indigo field with a madder pole medallion and spandrels, all with flowerheads and vines, an indigo palmette and vine border, triple guard stripes.

A Serapi Runner, the beige trelliswork field with three walnut florai medallions, three borders.

А Ghom part silk Rug, the pale green field with a design of indigo and madder medallions surrounded by flowers and vines, the ochre border with palmettes, flowerheads and  vines.

A Khamseh Rug, the indigo field with a triple pole medallion surrounded by cypress trees, animals and flowerheads, with a pale indigo florai vine and boteh border, twin guard stripes.

An unusual Ghashghai Prayer Rug, the plain walnut mehrab with saffron spandrels with flowerheads, four borders circa 1880, condition: fair, damaged, colour run.

A Kurdish Rug, the field with columns of hooked wave vines, in shades of green, ivory, indigo and madder, an ivory arrowhead border, single diamond guard stripes, reduced in size.

An Esfahan Rug, the pale indigo field with a madder and indigo medallion and ivory and beige spandrels, with an overall design of curvilinear vines, arabesques, palmettes and fiowerheads, the madder border with palmettes, flowerheads and vines, single guard stripes.

A Tabriz Rug, the brick-red field with а pistachio pole medallion and spandrels, all with flowers and vines, a pistachio palmette border, triple guard stripes.

A North-West Persian Rug, the indigo field with stepped guls, a walnut ‘S’ border, twin guard stripes.

A Serapi Runner, the ivory field with a central pole medallion surrounded by botehs, and with three borders.

A Kerman Prayer Rug, the indigo mehrab with three vases of flowers at the base, surrounded by florai shrubs, all in attractive shades of madder, pale indigo, ivory and green, with a similar indigo border and twin florai guard stripes.

A Ghashghai Rug, the indigo field with an overall design of stylized flowerheads, and leaves, the walnut spandrels with a design of flowerheads, eight borders.

A Kashan Rug, the madder field with an indigo pole medallion and spandrels, all with palmettes, flowerheads, leaves and vines, with а similar indigo border and triple guard stripes.

A Malayer Rug, the indigo field with an overall design of the herati pattern, a madder flowerhead and vine border, single pale green guard stripes.

A Kerman Praver Rug, the indigo mehrab with entwining Trees of Life surronnded by florai shrubs and with two birds at the base, with pale madder flowerhead and leaf spandrels, the indigo border with trees and florai shrubs.

A Kashan Rug, the madder field with an indigo florai pole medallion, surrounded by palmettes, flowerheads, leaves and vines, the indigo spandrels with a similar design, the indigo border with a design of palmettes and flowerheads, surrounded by vines and leaves, triple guard stripes.

Nain Rug, the ivory field with a pale indigo pole medallion and spandrels, with an overall design of palmettes, vines, arabesques, flowerheads and leaves, an indigo border with palmettes, flowerheads, vines and leaves, twin guard stripes.

An Esfahan Rug, the madder field with а walnut pole medallion and spandrels, all with palmettes, leaves, vines and fiowerheads, the indigo and walnut border with cartouches and palmettes enclosing fiowerheads.

A Khamseh Rug, the indigo field with an ivory triple pole medallion surrounded by animals, birds, flowerheads, leaves and combs, three borders.

A Shrinigar Rug, the slate field withamadder pole medallion and spandrels, all with palmettes, flowerheads and vines, an indigo florai border.

А Ensi, the madder quartered field with rows of stylized rams’ horns in each quarter separated by wide bands of curled leaves and vines, the ivory border with stepped guls, stylized rams’ horns, and a diamond gul skirt.

A Turkman Tekke Rug, the madder field with two rows of guls, a sunburst gul border.

A Saryk Juval, the madder field with five rows of Uve guls, with a star gul border and a hooked gul and honeycomb skirt.

A Kerman Carpet, the ivory field with a rose pole medallion and pale indigo spandrels, all with rosettes and fiowerheads, five borders.

A Mashhad Carpet, the madder field with palmettes, vines, cloudbands, serrated leaves and vines, an indigo border with cypress trees, flower-heads and vines, five inner and six outer guard stripes.

An Afghan Dali Carpet, the madder field with five columns of twelve guls, four borders.

A SAVONNERIE RUG, with a central ivory cartouche of flowers, bands of leaves and roses and an outer tapestry frame border, 6ft4in by 2ft8in (193cm by 81cm) circa 1810, condition: fair, slight damage.

AN AUBUSSON CARPET, the cafe’-au-lait field with an ivory floral medallion and spandrels, within a border of scrolling vines and flowerheads and an outer narrow frame border, 20ft 2in by 16ft 3in (615cm by 495cm) circa 1880, condition: fair, damaged.

ANOTHER AUBUSSON CARPET, the rose field centred by an ivory medallion with a central bouquet of flowers and with similar spandrels, 16ft 6in by 12ft 11 in (503cm by 374cm) circa 1890, condition: f air, stained.

ANOTHER AUBUSSON CARPET, the ivory field with a central medallion of flowerheads, flower-head spandrels, a plain cafe-au-lait border, 12ft by 8ft (366cm by 244cm) circa 1860, condi¬tion: fair, slight wear.

A FINE AND RARE LATE LOUIS xiv SMALL CARPET, woven with a central basket on a stone plinth flanked by two vases standing on hillocky ground, from these spill a profusion of full-blown summer flowers filling the saffron-coloured ground, within a blue and beige leafy guilloche border, lift 8in by 7fi Win (356cm by 239cm) late I7thlearly 18th Century, condition: fair turbanned figure holding a falcon, 3ft high (94cm) cresting altered; trie Bracket witn a
serpentine shelf bordered with lambrequin on three Aying scroll supports faced with
plumed masks above chains of leaves and a berried acanthus finial, Ift 5in high (43cm) both
circa 1715.

AN ANTIQUE KAZAK RUNNER
the charcoal-black field with nine stylised multicolouredll
lozenge medallions, each with smaflowerheads encircling hooked and floral centrepiece divided by similar triple small lozenges, leafy vines and flowerheads, in an ivory broad border of polychrome crab-reciprocal skittle-pattern and barber-pole stripes, short kelim at each end, small damage on outer stripes 312cm.
SAROUK CARPET

the ivory field with overall large leafy vine lattice containing polychrome serrated palmettes and flowering vines surrounded by shaded brick-red border of multicoloured serrated palmettos and scrolling leafy vinesbetween yellow palmetto vine and blue floral vine stripes, outer plain and zig-zag stripes 439cm.
TABRIZ CARPET

the ivory field with overall stylised Shah-Abbas design of meandering leafy vines issuing large multicoloured palmettes, flowerheads and stylised floral vases surrounded by shaded peach border of meandering polychrome palmette vine between sandy-yellow and blue flowering vine stripes, outer ivory plain stripe, signature cartouche at one end 429cm.
HERIZ CARPET

the ivory field with overall design of angular leafy vines issuing various stylised polychrome hooked palmettes and large hooked leaves surrounded by shaded indigo border of stylised turtle-palmetto and angular flowerhead vine between rust and shaded yellow meandering palmette vine stripes 320cm.
ISFAHAN CARPET

the ivory field with overall design of scrolling leafy tendrils issuing various polychrome palmettes and flowerheads surrounding floral vines connecting large multicoloured stylised floral botch, in broad light beige border of serrated palmette vine and meandering arabesques between ivory and indigo meandering floral vine stripes, outer brick-red plain stripe 459cm.
FERAGHAN CARPET

the shaded indigo field with stylised multicoloured large herati pattern around shaded brick-red shaped medallion containing polychrome palmette vine encircling ivory flowerhead centrepiece, spandrels similar, in broad border of interlocked brick-red, ivory and yellow half linked cartouches, containing serrated palmettes and angular floral sprays between indigo , brick-red and blue flowering vine stripes, outer zig-zag and plain stripes
A MASSIVE MALAYIR CARPET

the shaded indigo field with overall design of stylised multicoloured large licrati pattern surrounded by ivory border of stylised angular turtle-palmette and angular floral vine between yellow, charcoal-black and brick-red meandering palmette vine stripes, outer zig-zag, barber-pole and reciprocal skittle-pattern stripes, slight overall wear, small repairs 585cm.
BAKHTIARI CARPET

the ivory field with meandering vines issuing stylised multicoloured palmettes, flowerheads and large serrated leaves around indented indigo medallion with multiple hooked palmette pendants containing yellow and brick-red meandering arabesques and delicate floral vines, wide brick-red arabesque and flowering vine spandrels, surrounded by shaded deep indigo border of polychrome palmettes, flowerheads and floral spray vinesb etween yellow and blue flowering vine stripes, outer zig-zag, barber-pole and plain stripes, inscription cartouche at one end (In God order work of Azim-Allah Ghasemi the leader of Yaharjafar Ghuli-Khan Bakhtiari
AUBUSSON CARPET

the ivory field with central large oval medallion containing stylised multicoloured floral bouquet, similar floral bouquet at each end with shell motifs at each side surrounded by broad ivory frame border of scrolling acanthus leaves and floral sprays divided by large stylised floral cartouches between spiralling leafy vine and plain stripes 585cm.
TABRIZ CARPET

the indigo field with stylised Ardebil design of scrolling leafy vines issuing polychrome palmettos, flowerheads and leafy sprays around large ivory concentric medallion with hanging mosque lamp pendants and multicoloured serrated palmettos containing meandering arabesques and delicate meandering floral fine encircling rust flowerhead centrepiece, yellow-beige spandrels similar, in broad indigo border of large rust floral cartouches divided by floral roundels and flowering vine between light beige polychrome palmetto and serrated meandering arabesque wide stripes, outer rust flowering vine and plain stripes 573cm. x 370cm.

Antique Meshed Carpet, Sarouk Rug, Persian Carpet, Sennen Kelim, Tebriz Carpet

MESHED AMOGIILI CARPET
the ivory field with overall design of various stylised multicoloured palmettos, meandering leafy vines and flowerheads surrounded by shaded brick-red border of polychrome palmettes, flowerheads and leafy vines
between sea-green meandering palmetto vine stripes, outer indigo ribbon and ivory plain stripes, signature cartouche at one end 390cm.
SAROUK RUG
the ivory field with overall design of scrolling leafy ‘Vules issuing various multicolouredserrated palmettos,flowerheads and leafy sprays surrounded by peach border of meandering polychrome palmetto and serrated leaf vine between yellow flowering vine stripes, outer zizag, barber-pole and plain stripes 208cm. x 130cm.
A SIMILAR FINE SAROUK RUG
SILK PANDORMA PRAYER RUG
the dusky-pink field with three stylised vases at one end, ice blue mihrab containing leafiv vines and polychrome palmettos with hanging mosque lamp above flanked by double floral columns at each side, light blue cross panel with meandering floral palmetto vine at the top end surrounded by pistachio-green broad border of multicoloured serrated palmettes and angular flowering vine between ivory meandering palmette vine and pistachio-green floral stripes, outer plain stripes, very slight wear 261cm. x 175cm.
AN ANTIQUE ANATOLIAN CARPET
the ice-blue field with rows of angular floral sprays around large hooked and serrated rust panel containing polychrome, jewellery motifs, flowerheads, floral palmettos and chequered lozenge vines encircling yellow
lozenge medallion with stylised floral spray pendants, ice-blue and linked flowerhead centrepiece, in broad apricot border of stylised multicoloured hooked palmetto and floral motif border between shaded blue hooked linked lozenge and rust serrated palmette wide stripes, outer yellow ribbon and ice-blue flowerhead stripes, slight wear and piling 289cm x 211cm.
the sang-de-boeuf field with overall stylised Shah-Abbas design of scrolling floral vines issuing various large multicoloured hooked and serrated palmettos surrounded by broad ivory border of polychrome serrated and floral palmettes linked by meandering leafy vine between dusky-pink palmettoand serrated leafwide stripes, outer reciprocal-trefoil and plain stripes, signature cartouche at one end, repaired at one side 504cm.
NORTH-WEST PERSIAN CARPET OF ZIEGLER DESIGN
the light beige field with overall design of meandering polychrome flowerhead and leaf vines issuing large multicoloured palmettos, stylised flowering vase at each end flanked by perching birds surrounded by a brashed beige border of stylised open palmettes, flowerheads and meandering floral vine between ivory flowerhead vine, zig-zag, ribbon and plain stripes 382cm.
TABRIZ PITAC CARPET
the light camel field with overall meandering palmette and leafy vines around diagonal rows of ice-blue and ivory stylised large and small flowerheads, similar ivory and camel medallion centrepiece surrounded by broad light beige border of meandering floral vines encircling stylised multicoloured floral cartouches divided by floral roundels between ivory flowerhead and meandering arabesque stripes, outer reciprocal trefoil, barber-pole and plain stripes.
KERMAN LAVER CARPET
the shaded burgundy field with overall design of stylised multicoloured radiatintg flowerheads, paired long serrated leaves enclosing floral sprays and floral bouquets surrounded by borad indigo border of hooked floral palmette cartouches, part floral medallion and angular flowering vine between shaped light blue flowerhead and apricot flowering vine stripes,
outer plain stripe.
AN ARTS & CRAFTS RUG
the field with overall diagonal rows of interlocking multicoloured roundels,each containing stylised plychrome floral sprays divided by floral ovalcartouches and lozenges 213cm.
ANTIQUE SENNEH KELIM
the field with dense multicoloured stylised herati pattern around large serrated ivory pole medallion containing similar design surrounded by sandy-yellow narrow border of angular meandering palmette vine between brick-red and pistachio-green meandering floral stripes, outer plain stripe 201 cm.AN ANTIQUE BESSARABIAN KLLINI
the ivory field with overall design of stylised multicoloured floral bouquets surrounded by plain light blue stripe, slight wear, small repairs 279cm.NTIQUE TABRIZ CARPET
the ivory field with meandering floral vines and floral sprays around shaded brown cusped medallion with hooked palmetto pendants containing polychrome palmettos, floral sprays and cloudbands encircling ivory and pale rust stylised flowerhead centrepiece, spandrels similar, in broad shaded rust border of serrated palmettos, arabesques, flowering vine and cypress trees between ivory similar wide stripes, outer brown palmetto vine and plain stripes, slight overall wear 376cm.
TABRIZ CARPET
the ivory field with overall design of scrolling floral vines issuing multicoloured serrated palmettos, floral sprays, flowerheads and serrated leaves surrounded by aqua-blue border of meandering polychrome palmette and serrated leaf vine between rust flowering vine stripes, outer yellow and green reciprocal trefoil, zig-zag and plain stripes, signature cartouche at one end 409cm.
TABRIZ BENLIAN CARPET
the light beige field with delicate meandering tendrils issuing stylised multicoloured palmettos and floral sprays around large shaded sea-green cusped medallion with pendants containing similar design, burgundy
spandrels similar, in broad shaded sea-green border of polychrome serrated palmetto and meandering floral vine between light blue and burgundy flowerhead and leafy vine wide stripes, outer plain stripe 425cm.

Antique Chinese Carpets

It is only in the last few decades that Chinese carpets, previously overshadowed by the enthusiasm of collectors for Persian carpets, have been given the attention they long deserved. While the quality of Chinese carpets declined at the end of the 19th century, in part due to an increasing use of chemical dyes, one of the most appealing characteristics of earlier carpets was the unsurpassed, subtle use of colour.
A full appreciation of Chinese carpets must begin with an appreciation of the role that they played in the household, for they have never been used solely as decorative floor coverings. In northern China in particular, a feature of the average home was the k’ang, a brick or tile platform that was heated from beneath and on which the family would sleep. During the day the family would remove their mattresses and lay the family carpet on top of the k’ang. Since the k’ang was a central feature of the home so too was the carpet. In their service as house warmers, carpets were also hung on the walls. The symbolic motifs on carpets, which rank closely with the use of colours in determining their appeal today, dictated where a carpet would be situated in the home. Carpets with patterns that converged on the centre were placed on the floor; others were used as wall hangings.
The 19th century has been chosen as the point from which to take this brief look at Chinese carpets for with the arrival of chemical dyes the quality of colours in rugs changed completely. Chemical dyes destroyed the sheen and oils in the wool, making it stiff and dry so that the soft modulations of colour attainable with vegetable dyes were impossible to achieve.
The Use of Colour
The earliest carpets known date from about 1600, the time of the Ming Dynasty, and the use of colours was consistent throughout the succeeding two decades or so.
The most widely used colour was blue, derived from the indigo plant which produces shades from pale sky-blue ‘to black. It is possible that the Chinese used blue so much because it did not fade as other colours did, but merely became even bluer. This is useful in determining the age of a carpet, for clear blues suggest a recent carpet, while if all the colours including blue are dim then the carpet has probably been aged artificially.
Blue, though, is rarely used as a ground colour in old carpets, instead brown, white and yellow are used as the grounds for blue patterns, and in particular a soft brown was favoured. Principal shades of brown include fawn, tan, ochre and sand as well as a copper-brown called ku t’ung se. A dark brown was produced using manganese brown, but since this dye is corrosive it gives the effect of incised or punched out patterns. White comes in all shades, while yellow appears in shades from chicken yellow to honey, amber and orange. Most famous of all yellows is Imperial yellow, a pure luxurious colour that was reserved for the use of the court. Mandarin yellow has a touch of orange.
Chinese decorative motifs known as the Four Accomplishments.
There is not sufficient space here to list all the motifs used - books have been written on the subject - but an outline will give the potential collector an indication of the way the Chinese used their motifs.
The borders of very early carpets contain either a meander in the form of a T- or key pattern, swastikas, or what is called the hooked cross motif, which consists of C- or S- forms in continuous lines. The swastika is the symbol for happiness or luck and when it is made continuous it means `ten thousandfold happiness’.
Chinese language characters are used but only three are used symbolically - shou, fu and shuang hsi. Shou, which means long life, is the commonest of the three and it is usually found in stylized medallion form in the centre of the carpet. The character fu, meaning luck, is more common in embroidery than in carpets, possibly because it is difficult to stylize in the same way as shou and is more difficult to knot. Shuang hsi is the name given to a double hsi character, which means wedded bliss. A single hsi is not often used. Carpets with shuang hsi motifs were often given as wedding presents.
Naturalistic motifs are widespread and usually highly stylized. The cloud motif is distinctly Chinese despite comparisons with Turkish or Persian clouds and can be found scattered singly throughout the design or in cloud banks. Mountains and water are always found together, since the Chinese name for ‘landscape’ is shan shui - mountain water. The mountains are always shown emerging from the water. Sea and mountains together symbolize long life and luck. Water is depicted in various forms: multi-coloured semi-circles for calm water, square or triangular shapes with dots above to suggest spray, for rough water.
While human beings and gods rarely appear on carpets because of difficulties in knotting them, animals have a distinctive and treasured place in the repertory. The dragon, lung, is both the best known and most spectacular animal for it has high significance in Chinese religion and philosophy, representing a powerful god and the master of the forces of nature. Not surprisingly, the dragon became the Imperial emblem. In both form and concept the Chinese dragon is very different from the Western dragon, appearing as a reptile-like creature with snake-like body, four legs and a fantastic head. Almost always associated with the dragon is the pearl, chin, which the dragon is constantly striving to reach, for the pearl means perfection. A pair of dragons are often depicted fighting over the pearl. When the dragon was adopted as the Imperial emblem it evolved into two kinds, one with five toes on each foot (the lung dragon) being the Emperor’s motif as well as that of princes of the first and second rank, while the mang dragon with only four toes was used by lesser court officials.
The dragon motif is particularly cleverly used on pillar rugs - long narrow rugs which were used to decorate pillars on festive occasions. When the carpet is viewed flat on the ground, the coils of the beast appear to make little sense, yet when the carpet is wound around the pillar the coils join up and the dragon comes to life. Pillar rugs were usually made in pairs and were favourite gifts.
The phoenix, feng huang, is a composite of several creatures and is different from the apocalyptic beast of Ancient Greece, for in China its colour was a curious red that does not contain any blue and about which there has been much speculation as to its origin. It has been suggested that the carpetmaker was aware of the mellowing influence of time on this colour and may have made it by dyeing the carpet first with a fast yellow and then with a strong red, so that as the red faded the yellow began to show itself.
Black is only used occasionally, while gray is sometimes found in bands running along the outside edge of pre-18th century carpets. Green is very rare until the advent of aniline dyes which produced rather gaudy shades of this colour.
The Chinese were masters in the art of combining colours and, unlike Persian and Caucasian rugmakers, disliked using strong, unrelated colours. Two principles guided them – colour relatedness and colour gradation. Their inclination has been to always use blue motifs on brown grounds or a white and blue, which may have been inspired by Chinese porcelain. This latter combination was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Pale yellow and blue were often popular as were carpets simply in varying shades of blue.
Carpet Motifs
The carpet designer was fortunate in having a rich heritage of symbolic motifs on which to draw and he gave free rein to his imagination when it came to adapting and combining those motifs. Chinese carpets contain a greater diversity of motifs than any other oriental carpets and are not simply decorative, but have a language of their own.
Decorative motifs. From top: Four classic scrolls, cloud collar or lappet, six cloud scrolls.
appearance heralded a period of good fortune. The creature was a composite of pheasant, swan, crane and mandarin duck and was the symbol of the Empress.
After the dragon, fo dogs are one of the best-known motifs associated with Chinese carpets. In mythology, such dogs, which resemble lions more than dogs, were said to be the companion of the Buddha and to guard Buddhist holy places. The male dog is often depicted playing with a ball, the female with a pup between her paws.
The unicorn, ch’i lin, also differs from the Western image and some authorities feel the Chinese had two varieties, one with the body of a stag with a long straight horn and the other with the body of an ox and a short, curved horn. The ch’i lin was said to live a thousand years and appear at the birth of sages. Genuine stags, lu, also appear as motifs, often holding the sacred fungus, ling chih, which can bestow immortality, or with a stork, a symbol of long life.
Perhaps the most frequent animal to appear is the bat, fu, which since its Chinese name sounds exactly like the symbol fu, also means luck. The butterfly appears on carpets from South China instead of the bat. Other animal motifs include fishes, usually the carp, the horse, rabbit, hare and tiger.
The commonest floral motifs are the lotus, peony and chrysanthemum. The lotus is both the symbol of purity and summer and, while they are sometimes difficult to distinguish on carpets from chrysanthemums, can be recognized by their accompanying seed pods. Other floral motifs include plum blossoms, bamboo and peach blossoms, although they are somewhat rarer than the previous three. The only fruits to appear as motifs are the peach, pomegranate and the citron, for each of these three has a meaning unlike other fruits. The peach, food of the gods, symbolizes longevity, the pomegranate signifies abundant male offspring, while the citron is a symbol for happiness since its rind is supposed to develop into petals resembling the classic position of the Buddha’s hand.
The two great religions of China, Taoism and Buddhism, are also represented on carpets in the motifs of the Eight Symbols of Taoism and the Eight Symbols of Buddhism. The former are a flower basket, flute, lotus, bamboo clappers, bamboo tube and rod, crutch or staff and gourd, sword and fan. The Buddhist symbols are the canopy, two fish, urn, lotus, conch shell, umbrella, knot of destiny and the wheel of law. Another group of Taoist motifs are the Eight Immortals who were supposed to live in Paradise and represent practitioners of various trades. Other groups of motifs include the Eight Precious Things and the Four Gentlemanly Accomplishments in antique Chinese carpets.