Early Kurdish Anatolian Rug

Early Kurdish Anatolian Rug
278 x 145 cm (9' 1" x 4' 9")
Turkey, 18th century
Condition: good, low pile in places, both ends restored, selvages rebound, several repairs and reweavings
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool

The strong and dramatic field design of this carpet is immediately recognisable from Caucasian weavings. However, here it is expressed in colours and other design features that clearly belonged to Anatolia. Therefore, this carpet provides insight into the way in which northwest Persia, southern Caucasus and eastern Anatolia have for many centuries shared a weaving culture and design traditions.
The eight-pointed, white-ground star medallion, rather crooked hooked leaves and Cypress trees relate this carpet directly to 18th-century Karabagh carpets and similarly dated silk Azerbaijan embroideries, which in turn reference earlier Safavid textiles. Perhaps the closest carpet in design is in the Textile Museum in Washington DC, and was bought by the museum's founder, George Hewitt Myers (R.36.2.4).
A similar carpet, though not in such good condition, was once in the collection of Dennis Dodds and was published in Oriental rugs from Atlantic Collections (pl. 62). The similarities in the design and colours suggest that these must have been made in the same place at the same time; however, the present example does have more variations in the border and more prominent use of a deep-aubergine colour.
It is important to underline that this carpet was made at the same time as the classical carpets from Karabagh and the silk embroideries, of which there are many examples, and to emphasise the unique nature of this carpet.

Estimate: € 25000 - 35000