Tabriz Rugs Tabriz Carpets

Tabriz Rug Carpet Circa 1890 Est $150,000 200,000 USD

Sotheby's Carpets Sale: N08456 | Location: New York Auction Dates: Session 2: Wed, 11 Jun 08 2:00 PM LOT 293 PROPERTY OF VARIOUS OWNERS A TABRIZ CARPET, NORTHWEST PERSIA, 150,000—200,000 USD MEASUREMENTS approximately 19ft. 10in. by 13ft. 3in. (6.05 by 4.04m.) DESCRIPTION circa 1890 some cotton whites, foldwear, minor moth damage, reselvaged Seen on www.Sothebys.com

CATALOGUE NOTE
Since Tabriz was established as the capital of the Safavid dynasty in 1502, it has been one of the great weaving and cultural centers of Persia. Carpets woven in Tabriz for the Safavid court include the famous 'Ardabil' carpet, dated 1539-40, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by Annette Ittig, "Historians Choice, The Victoria & Albert Museum's 'Ardabil' carpet," Hali, Issue 69, pp. 81-83. As we stated in the note to lot 61 in this catalogue, a 16th century Tabriz carpet fragment, carpets from this city have been revered for their quality and the present lot shows the continuum of this high standard over the centuries. The sophisticated design of this carpet, with a lobed medallion overlaid on a lattice formed by scrolling arabesques, is a direct descendent of the medallion carpets produced in sixteenth-century Tabriz, many of which are now in museum collections, for examples see M.S. Dimand, and Jean Mailey, Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, cat. nos. 1, 2, 3. The arabesque formed palmette-enclosing cartouches and feathered palmettes that anchor each end of the medallion here also echo the palmette and cartouche anchors of its sixteenth-century precursors, such as the Rothschild Tabriz medallion carpet now in the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar, see Michael Franses, "Safavid Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art," Hali, issue 155, fig. 1 and for others see Arthur Upham Pope, ed., A Survey of Persian Art, London, 1939, pls. 1112, 1116 and 1137. Also in keeping with its predecessors, the present carpet is finely woven with a closely shorn surface that allows for the intricacy of the design details to be easily read by the viewer. The border of flowering urns and lush foliate motifs departs from the earlier prototypes yet continues the longstanding tradition of the carpet as a garden. In its use of rich golden hues, shades of blue, and terracotta this carpet employs a palette unseen until the nineteenth century and then very particular to Tabriz weavings. There is also a lushness to the design that reflects the opulent and sophisticated tastes of the Qajar period. Unusual to this carpet is the soft yellow medallion which accentuates its overall warmth and richness. In overall very good condition, the carpet offered here exemplifies the high standards and sophistication attained by the finest workshops of Tabriz. For related examples that have sold see Sotheby's New York, June 6, 2007 lot 275, Sotheby's London, April 21, 1999 lot 226 and Sotheby's New York, April 7, 1999, lot 217.