AN ANIMAL COMBAT CARPET, SOUTHEAST CAUCASUS
Estimate: 90,000 - 150,000 GBP
17th or early 18th century
Approximately: 222 x 102cm
Sotheby’s auction, ‘A Passion for Collecting: The Rugs and Carpets of a Connoisseur’, offers a wide-ranging selection of 116 carpets, decorative carpets, tribal and village rugs from the 16th to 20th centuries, assembled by a collector whose enthusiasms include works of art and paintings from the Renaissance to the present day.
This collector’s interest in carpets was first sparked as a small boy by regular visits to Dr Ulrich Schürmann in Cologne. It was while taking his very first lessons in rugs at Dr Schürmann’s gallery that the collector encountered the Caucasian Animal-Combat carpet (lot 71) and the memory of it remained with him. Purchased by Dr Günther Marschall from Dr Schürmann, it resurfaced at an auction in 2014, and, having been on the lookout for it for more than 50 years, the collector was very happy to finally own it. However, the time has come for his collection to find new homes, and Sotheby’s is delighted to have this opportunity to present it at this sale.
Besides the Animal-Combat carpet, other highlights include an exceptionally large ‘Lotto’ arabesque carpet, West Anatolian ‘Bird’ and ‘Transylvanian’ rugs and a ‘Star’ Ushak carpet. Turkish village rugs, including the Volkmann Bergama Rug and rugs from the Caucasus, feature prominently.
The collection includes a number of pieces offered without reserve, offering opportunities for participation in the sale at all levels.
The full sale catalogue can be found here.
A 'BIRD' RUG, SELENDI, OUSHAK REGION, WEST ANATOLIA
Estimate: 15,000 - 25,000 GBP
Mid 17th Century
Approximately: 196 x 133cm
Cornucopia has joined forces with the digital publishing platform Exact Editions to offer individual and institutional subscribers unlimited access to a searchable archive of fascinating back issues and every newly published issue. This brand new resource is available cross-platform on web, iOS and Android and offers a comprehensive search function, allowing the title’s cultural content to be delved into at the touch of a button.
Digital Subscription: £18.99 / 1 year
Subscribe now