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History is told through a carpet

History is told through a carpet, a journey around the world that begins in India with a magnificent and precious decorative carpet from the city of Agra dating from 1900 (Lot 111, estimated price €12,000 – 16,000). It features a splendid ivory border with a crown of alternating red vases and yellow leaves from which two large green chillies hang, one on each side. The imposing border is flanked on both sides by four smaller bands running around the carpet. The magnetic fiery red field presents a complex continuous pattern of small flowering trees, large yellow flowers and geometric shapes that seem to form a museum-sized octagon (467 x 373 cm). This is a rarity that only noblemen and Rajah rulers could afford in those days.

From North China, an imperial carpet with nine flying dragons in silk and metal threads (lot 123, estimated price €6,000 – €8,000), dating from around 1910. From the end of the Qing dynasty, it depicts the nine imperial dragons paired with clouds and other decorations linked to the Astamangala, the Eight Symbols of Good Luck in Tibetan Buddhism. The two Dharma Wheels (in Sanskrit cakra, in Tibetan ‘khor-lo) placed with the ribbon and clouds between two dragons are striking. Around the central dragon are four parasols (in Sanskrit chattra, in Tibetan gdugs), symbols of royal dignity and spiritual power. The elegant rainbow border, ‘lishui’, is particularly rare and beautiful. In the field part it displays large white foamy waves that recall the design of coral. The gold-coloured background, with no knotted parts, is embellished with a very fine metallic thread embroidery that makes the carpet elegant and precious.

The fascination of Persia is evident in the Khamseh bird carpet, from the province of Fars, dated around 1880 (lot 45, estimate €2,400 – 2,600). It is characterised by three light-coloured diamond medallions connected to each other with pairs of birds of various shapes and colours, trees and flowers which make this tribal rug of great quality surprisingly lively. The lustrous, soft wool chosen and the colours of natural origin form a unique overall harmony. The long, pointed pyramid decorations perfectly fit into the midnight blue background of the field.

Made in the Borchali district – in the Southwest Causasus region – a fascinating 1850 Kazak Lori Pambak (lot 107, estimated price €4,000 – €6,000) stands out for its central octagonal medallion with no less than twenty sides formed by a red and blue pole-bae containing a magnificent and archaic tulip decoration, and four large pinwheels on a white background.