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● TURKEY & EASTMEDITERRANEAN

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BERGAMA STARMEDALLION RUG CIRCA 1800

1.55 x2.11M (5'1'' x6'11'') SOTHEBY'S NEW YORK,

VOJTECH BLAU SALE 14 DECEMBER 2006,

LOT 83 EST:$25-30,000

SOLD FOR:$132,000

Discussing this lobed-star design Bergama variant in

Historical Turkish Carpets (pl.57), Serare Yetkin wrote:

“Some later versions of the type, with more strongly

geometric lines, are to be found in the T.I.E.M...

These rugs are smaller and a fragmented star medallion

occupies the center of the field. This is a kind of rug

which we do not come across in European

paintings, but which continued to decreasein size,

the design becomingless and less refined, still to be woven during the 19th century.” Her diagram no.30is virtually identical

to the field of the present lot, whichis a relatively early variant of impressive size and in relatively good condition for its age. It is the only example known to us with this styleof pan-Turkic Turkmen

kochanakcartouche border, most having an alternating repeat of star flowerheads and notched polygonson a black ground. It is also theonly example in which the diagonally opposed ‘arms’ of

the central ‘star’ are piled in two different colours, sky blue and green. Otherwise it is similar to a number of published rugs: Denny, The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets, pl.40 (Jon M.

Anderson Collection); Herrmann, SOT VI,no.9 = Edelmann, 15 December 1984, lot 169; as well as the most oft-cited examples, McMullan, Islamic Carpets,pl.45, and Grote-Hasenbalg, Der Orient

teppich, pl.19. Of course, like many other carpets in this extraordinary single owner sale, it set a record for its type.

USHAK MEDALLION RUG LATE 16TH–EARLY

17TH CENTURY 1.14 x1.6M (3'9'' x5'3'')

SOTHEBY'S NEW YORK 14 DECEMBER 2006,LOT 161

EST:$12-15,000 SOLD FOR:$12,000

This unusual variant of the otherwise fairly common double

niche or small-medallion Ushaks (divisible into two sub-groups,

principally according to border type) has a larger and more elab

orate central medallion and florid spandrels whichfill more of the

field, and relates more closely to the large Ushak carpets than do

the others. It was previously sold at SLO on 28 April 1992, lot 94,

for $20,185 (HALI 63, p.132), when we considered it to be an early

and rare specimen from the second half of the 16th century

and pointed to the only at all similar rug in the Türk ve Islam

Eserleri Museum, best illustrated in Ölcer et al., Turkish Carpets

13th-18th Century, pl.89.That has a complex floral border while the

present lot has the more common of the two border types of

the double-niche Ushaks (“arches formed by pairs of floral arabes

ques” containing palmettes and divided by floral sprays, accord

ing to Charles Grant Ellis), that is very well drawn. This border

was current over a long period well into the 17th century so it

gives no clue as to whether the present rug is an early or a late

departure from thetype. Its rarity rather suggests the former. Two

small-medallion Ushaks, one of each sub-group, were sold at

CLO on 17 October 1996, lots 411 and 425,fetching $43,610 and

$50,875. Our comment in HALI 90 (p.120) records five other

SMU sales in the first half of 1990s for very high prices, inclu

ding SNY, 24 September 1991 lot 58 (HALI 60, p.147) for $181,500.

The seller of the present rug must have been verydisappoin

ted by the result: the buyer has reason to congratulate himself.

GÖRDES PRAYER RUG 18TH CENTURY

1.27 x1.6M (4'2'' x5'3'') SOTHEBY'S NEW YORK YORK,

VOJTECH BLAU SALE 14 DECEMBER 2006,LOT 2

EST:$10-15,000 SOLD FOR:$19,200

In Oriental Carpets: A Complete Guide(1998, p.179), Eilandwrote:

“few types present more frustrating problems than the Gordes

prayer rug, as much that has been written about it is clearly fictitious

… Beginning in the late 19th century they were bought at high

prices for decades,but are no longer so avidly sought or fash

ionable”. Indeed, 18th century Kula and Gördes prayer rugs

were the sine qua nonof any serious collection of Turkish rugs

formed before World War II. The main US collector of the genre,

James F. Ballard of St Louis, showed no fewer than eleven in

his 1924 catalogue (pls.18-28). The present rug was published

in Von Konya bis Kokand, no.7, 1980 retail price DM67,500. Herr

mann wrote that “the white tracery in the blue spandrels and the

border with its rosettes and palmettes flanked by curvedleaves

are a reminder that this is a town version of an earlier courtwork

shop design”. The closest comparison to the this rug is pl.37 in

Volker’s Die Orientalische Knupfteppiche im MAK. Others include

Haack, Oriental Rugs, pl.III; Aslanapa, One Thousand Years of Turk

ish Carpets, pl.132, p.173; and Ionescu, Antique Ottoman Rugs

in Transylvania, pls.216-219. The market perception of these rugs

as passé is beginning to change. Recent auction prices include

32,400 for lot 70 at RB on 15 November 2003 and, at CLO on

9 October 2006, $42,636 for lot 70 and $20,196 for lot 56.

BERGAMA RUG LATE 19TH CENTURY

1.98 x2.26M (6'6'' x7'5'') SOTHEBY'S NEW YORK

14 DECEMBER 2006,LOT 209 EST:$10-15,000

SOLD FOR:$22,800 A high price for a late and rather

uninspiring example of a design with a long and distinguished

pedigree. The intricate and iconic central medallion was

first documented in a 15th century painting by Domenico

Ghirlandaio, The Virgin and Child Enthroned(see Erdmann,

Oriental Carpets, fig.19). Two further 15th century carpets

with similar medallions are pictured in Alexander's A Fore

shadowing of 21st Century Art (pp.62, 237). The form of the

medallion continued to be faithfully reproduced by west

Anatolian weavers well into the 19th century, while other elem

ents in the carpets underwent devolutionary changes. For a

17th century example see Herrmann, SOT X, pl.13, with span

drels and a yellow cruciform border. For an 18th century

example see lot 208 in this SNY sale ($3,300). In the 19th cent

ury, the spandrels have disappeared from most examples,

the fields have become crowded with small floral motifs, and

many examples have this variant of serrated leaf border.

The 19th century exemplars have not done particularly well

at auction, the previous best price being under $10,000 (SLO,

21 October 1993, lot 64). Comparable pieces include: a virtu

ally identical rug at Lefevre on 4 October 1974, lot 7; Lefevre,

25 March 1977, lot 31; SLO, 4 October 2000, lot 74; Finarte,

9 November 2005, lot 141; Skinner, 3 November 1983, lot 5;

Bausback 1975, p.85; and HALI 5/3, Gallery p.7.

For more auction results see www.hali.com/apg.aspx

HALI ISSUE 151159