A 'Kara Memi' 'Karapinar' gallery carpet fragment, South Central Anatolia

acquired from Bud Holland, Chicago, 1979

Alexander, C., A Foreshadowing of 21^st Century Art The Color and Geometry of Very Early Turkish Carpets, New York, 1993, pp. 212 - 213, ill pp. 35 (black & white image) & 213.
Alexander, C., 'Early Turkish Rugs A New Way of Looking', Hali, April, 1991, issue 56, p. 118. RELATED LITERATURE:

An extremely similar example reproduced in black and white - Beattie. M., ‘Some Rugs of the Konya Region’, Oriental Art, London, Spring, 1976, vol. 22, pp. 66, fig. 11.

144cm across the top, 130 bottom, 234lhs, 232rhs, Size adjusted. Pile varies from 3mm down to knotbars, browns extensively re-piled - particularly at lower end where border has been pieced in. Other minor areas of scattered re-weaves and re-piling in field. Long vertical tuck through medallion and lower part of field. Re-weaves in borders. First hand inspection advised, photographs can be requested from the department.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Of this piece, Alexander wrote 'This is perhaps my personal favorite of the carpets in the collection' Alexander, C., op cit, p. 212. There are two other comparable carpets, which were also in revered collections. The most direct comparison to the present lot is published in May Beattie’s article ‘Some Rugs of the Konya Region’, Oriental Art, London, Spring, 1976, vol. 22, pp. 66, fig. 11, and was formerly in the Murray-Graham Collection, its current whereabouts unknown. So in common are these two works in design and layout that one would initially think that they were either conceived as a pair, were in fact one in the same work, or made-up a longer gallery carpet together. However on closer inspection they do have differences, crucially in the half lozenges at the top and bottom of the field. In the black and white image in Beattie they are clearly a dark colour and the offered lot is ivory. Another example, also cited by Beattie, ibid, p. 66, fig. 10, is now in the Textile Museum, Washington, formerly in the collection of George Hewitt Meyer, printed in colour in Farnham. T., ‘In Pursuit of High Standards’, Hali, Summer 2015, issue 184, p.60, fig. 8. These three, Murray-Graham, Meyer and Alexander, all unquestionably share a similar cartoon and quite likely were made in close proximity. The Meyer example is referred to as ‘Kara Memi’, after the 16^th century Ottoman court designer, and it is interesting to note that these three weaves seem to draw their inspiration from 'Star' Oushak carpets; compare for example the central lozenge in the offered lot with the minor axial medallions of lot 38, formerly in the Alexander collection. The horizontal, stylised, tulips a perhaps a more ‘Karapinar’ trait, one which repeats both within this group of works and others recorded. A similar colour composition can be seen in the former Alexander ‘Karapinar’ sold Sotheby’s London, 7 November 2017, lot 85.