A SILK AND METAL-THREAD HERIZ RUG
NORTH WEST PERSIA, SIGNED HUMI, DATED AH 1315/1897 AD

Price Realized $84,018

Sale Information
Christies SALE 6283 —
CARPETS
13 April 2000
London, King Street

LOT NOTES
Lot Description
A SILK AND METAL-THREAD HERIZ RUG
NORTH WEST PERSIA, SIGNED HUMI, DATED AH 1315/1897 AD
The ivory field with angular arabesques issuing floral and leafy vine around a central brick-red lozenge medallion containing an indigo lobed centrepiece with angular vine and mythical animal-heads issuing bold serrated leaves into the field, in a silver metal-thread border of linked indigo inscription cartouches between shaded ivory angular floral meander, mill-pattern and alternating v-pattern stripes, ivory kilim weave at each end, excellent condition, signed and dated in the metal-thread border
6ft.2in. x 4ft.7in. (188cm. x 140cm.)

Lot Notes
The inscription cartouches contain a ghazal of Hafiz.

This rug was purchased a considerable time ago by the father-in-law of the present owner. The family story is that it was bought from a member of the previous Persian royal family, although no details are known. The rug does however bear very strong similarities to a rug in a collection in New York. Both have the same very dense treatment of the motifs, in inscription cartouche border together with very thick pile and the very unusual feature of a metal-thread selvage. The New York rug is said by tradition to have been woven for Muzaffar al-Din Shah (1896-1907). The combination of the similarity in technical features, the story about the purchase of this rug, and the date on this piece (of which the family were not aware), indicate that this tradition is probably true.